


Subterfuge (2005)

by JennyB



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh!
Genre: Anal Sex, Bathroom Sex, Blow Jobs, Deception, First Time, Hand Jobs, M/M, Obsession, POV First Person, Secret Crush, Seduction, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-07-05
Updated: 2005-07-05
Packaged: 2018-01-16 00:39:30
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 27,380
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1325239
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JennyB/pseuds/JennyB
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There are two sides to every story. Told from Seto's POV, this is the follow up story to 'Chameleon'.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter One

I stifle a bored yawn and surreptitiously roll my eyes. There are still twenty minutes left in the period, and my so-called ‘Sensei’ is droning on and on about stock market fluctuations and investment strategies. I feel no compulsion to pay attention – I could show up to write the final exam and _still_ do better than my entire class. She thinks that she knows more about the business world than _me_? Please. A small smirk creeps across my lips at the thought. Thanks; I needed a laugh. I cross my arms across my chest and close my eyes. 

“ _Mr. Kaiba_ ,” the Sensei shrieks as she stands next to my desk. “Are you _sleeping_ in my class?”

“No, Sensei,” I drawl. “I’m positively _riveted_ to your lecture.” There are a few startled gasps and tittering giggles from my classmates. Morons.

“Then you’ll be happy to share your opinion on Marxist economy.”

I give a small snort of amusement. “Marxism is too utopian. It assumes an abundance of everything, and overlooks one of the most inherent traits of human beings.”

“And what might that be?” she demanded.

“Ambition,” I reply, my eyes still closed. I hear her surprised gasp and then she moves on with her lesson. She is such a waste of my time…so like everyone else. Well, _almost_ everyone else. I feel a pair of eyes staring at me, and instinctively I turn to glance three rows over. I catch Jounouchi’s peering at me, a strange curiosity in his gaze. I frown slightly; this is what, the fifth time today? Quickly, he snaps his head back to his notebook and begins scribbling furiously on a piece of paper, a slight pink tinge to his cheeks. My lips curve upwards in a soft smile. The puppy always looks so cute when he’s flustered.

It’s strange, really. From the moment I met him, I knew there was something different about the energetic blond. It was a given that he was breathtakingly gorgeous, but that had never been of any consequence to me before. Hell, I’ve had stunningly beautiful people, both male and female, throwing themselves at my feet for as long as I can remember; all of them pretentious and fawning. Except for Jou. He’s one of the most genuine, open people I know, and I think that might be one of the reasons for my extreme hostility towards him – when we met, he instilled feelings in me that were strange and alien and, as I had been taught by my stepfather, anything unexpected needed to be beaten down and controlled. I’d been trying to ignore my growing feelings for the past few months, but lately, it had been getting more and more difficult – and the dreams sure as hell weren’t helping any. 

The bell finally rings, and I quickly pack my books into my briefcase, hoping to beat the crowd of students pouring out into the hall, eager to get their weekends started. No such luck today. There is a group of girls giggling in front of my locker, staring at me all doe-eyed. Their actions disgust me, and I give them a withering glare. “Move,” I hiss rudely, taking some pleasure in the shocked and disappointed expressions on their faces. As I’m collecting my other homework assignments, I hear a very familiar voice behind me.

“Come on, Honda! You have to come with me!” Jou whines, and I can picture the pleading expression on his face in my mind.

“Sorry, man. It’s my grandmother’s birthday tomorrow, and my parents already committed me to going. I won’t be back until really late. Besides, you know I’m not one for ‘clubbing’. Too many weirdoes.”

I raise an eyebrow. Clubbing? I never would have expected the puppy to be into that… My curiosity getting the better of me, I turn around to study the pair. Instantly, my mind imagines Jou in his club wear, moving his body in a sensual rhythm with the music. Suddenly, my pants feel a size or two too small as I let my eyes flick hungrily over the blond’s body. 

“What do you want, Kaiba?” I hear Honda ask me, his eyes narrowing suspiciously.

“Absolutely nothing from you,” I reply coolly, letting my gaze drift back over to Jou. “Have a good weekend, gentlemen,” I continue, watching the look of amazement flash in those sparkling, amber eyes. I know the puppy is beyond confused, and immediately, I can see his anger starting to flare.

“Fuck you, Kaiba!” he shouts at me in frustration, storming off down the hallway, Honda trailing along after him to keep up. As I turn back to my locker, I smirk to myself. One way or another, I will succeed in taming him. I pack up my things and, as I’m walking out to my limo, my mind conjures up an idea. I grin mischievously; I’d have never been a good Marxist – I have too much ambition.

* * *

Later that night, I park my black Miata downtown and slide out from behind the driver’s seat. I head down the street and stare up at the winking, purple neon raven. Nevermore has been open to the public for little over two weeks now, and since then, it has been quickly gaining a reputation as a place for all the local elite to come. One of the most exclusive clubs in town, admission is restricted to those who have the money to buy their way in, or the looks to make them desirable to the richer clientele. Fortunately for me, I have both. _Unfortunately_ , tonight I’m not here as Seto Kaiba. I catch a glimpse of my reflection in a window and I smirk. The pale blonde wig I’m wearing is slightly tousled – a big change from my normal, well-kempt auburn hair, and the emerald green contact lenses I’m wearing mask the normal iciness of my dark, sapphire eyes. If that wasn’t enough to fool everyone who knew me, then my attire certainly would. I’d traded in my trademark trench coats and Armani suits for a black silk shirt, snug fitting black brushed cotton pants and a suede three-quarter length, dark wine flared blazer. I chuckle softly – the best place to hide is in plain sight, ne?

I head inside, walk through the dimly lit hallway and head down the darkened staircase to the cave-like alcove in the basement. When I had been here as an invited guest for the grand opening, I had been ushered right inside. Tonight, I was going to have to wait my turn, just like everyone else. I watch Erik, the bouncer, as he surveys the crowd. He is a large man with a taste for intimidation and an appetite for depravity. If it wasn’t for the fact that he disgusted me with his lewd behaviour, I’d consider hiring him away from this place to work for me. He catches my eye and beckons me over. Hell, I wasn’t planning on having to speak with this behemoth, and I know he knows me well. I’m going to have to disguise my voice – perfect, this will be my first real test.

“Hey Blondie,” Erik purrs, and I feel a wave of revulsion pass through my body. “Don’t think I’ve seen you here before. What’s your name?”

Shit. I hadn’t thought of that yet. Frantically, my mind searches for something plausible, and as an idea comes to me, I smile. “Quinn,” I reply, giving a slight sharpness to my consonants to mimic an accent.

Erik quirks an eyebrow. “What kind of name is that?” he asks.

“Celtic. It means ‘a person of high intelligence’.” So fitting.

Erik laughs and pats me on the ass, and I glare at him. “It’s so cute,” he smirks. “Kinda like you.”

“Keep dreaming,” I snort, crossing my arms across my chest and leaning arrogantly against the doorjamb beside him.

Erik eyes me up and down and whistles lowly. “Hell, I’m on break in twenty minutes. How ‘bout you and me go to my office for a little slap and tickle?” he says lewdly as he trails his fingers up and down my arm.

“I think not,” I sneer. “Touch me again, and I swear to God you’ll be sorry.”

Erik laughs on hearing this. “No offence,” he chuckles, “but you’re a pretty boy – I doubt you could fight your way out of a wet paper bag. Besides, _I’m_ the one who controls who gets in this place. Don’t piss me off.”

I narrow my eyes and hiss dangerously, “You can’t control shit if you’re in a body bag.”

“Really?” Erik scoffs. “I love it when the boys play rough.” He cracks his knuckles and takes a step towards me, raising his huge fist in battle. 

I grab his arm by the wrist and, using his own momentum against him, I wrench his arm around and behind his back. Using the pressure points located in his hand, I quickly bring him to his knees, snorting in amusement at his pained whimpers. “No offence,” I reply contemptuously, “but you’re pathetic. You are nothing but a pawn; you control _nothing_.” I hear surprised gasps from the other patrons around me; apparently, I had not been the favourite to win this little scuffle. Not wanting to overstep my bounds and start a fight, I release my hold and watch as the big man staggers back to his feet, a pained grimace on his face as he rubs at his arm. I smirk as Erik bows his head in submission to me, and then steps aside and mumbles, “Please, go inside, Quinn.”

Nodding in thanks, I step around him, noting with some satisfaction that he keeps his hands rigidly by his side as I pass by. I know that he’ll revert right back to his old ways as soon as I’m out of sight, but I couldn't care less about what he does, as long as it doesn’t affect me. I enter the club, bypassing the dance floor and nestling myself into one of the large, violet armchairs. It’s not that I don’t dance, or can’t dance, but I prefer to watch…you can learn so much through careful observation of people.

After a couple of hours, I’m thoroughly convinced that my disguise is successful. I head home and, as I’m driving, I’m thinking to myself that, while Jounouchi may never harbour any feelings for me, as Quinn, it’ll only be a matter of time until I have the blond in my arms. I sneak into the house and quickly hide my disguise in my personal office. No one – not even my cleaning staff – is permitted in here without me. And I have the only key. Satisfied with everything that had happened tonight, I slip on a robe and head upstairs for some much-needed sleep.

* * *

I open the door to my room and instantly I freeze – something doesn’t seem right. I stand perfectly still, listening intently, and I can hear soft breathing coming from inside the room. I’m not alone! Narrowing my eyes, I whisper dangerously, “Whoever you are, show yourself!”

I hear a soft chuckle, and suddenly a match is struck. The glow momentarily blinds me, and when I recover, I see a lit candle sitting on the end table beside my bed. Curious, I walk towards the glow, quirking an eyebrow when I see a hand reach out to beckon me closer. My breath hitches in my throat as I sit on the bed and suddenly, _he’s_ there. In disbelief, I tentatively stroke the soft lines of his face, smiling softly when he closes his gorgeous eyes, his long lashes brushing gently against his cheek. I slide my hand back to fist my fingers in his golden tresses, nearly moaning with desire as I watch the flickering flame cast its light and shadows on him, giving him an almost ethereal glow. “What are you doing here?” I ask, looking down and noticing that he is gloriously naked and obviously aroused. Instantly, my cock springs to life, my heart starting to beat faster in my chest.

“Shh, Seto,” he whispers playfully, pressing one of his cool, slim fingers to my lips. The sound of my name spoken in his sensual alto brings me to full hardness and, despite myself, I let out a soft groan. As much as I love to watch him when he’s angry, it’s nothing compared to how he looks when he’s turned on. He smiles softly and gently pushes me down to lie on the pillows, then trails his fingers down to brush against my penis. “Mmm, I’m glad you’re happy to see me, Seto. I’d have been so disappointed if you didn’t want my special surprise.”

“Special surprise?” I murmur, quirking an eyebrow at him. He says nothing but leans down and places a gentle kiss on my lips – so sweet and so innocent. I moan hungrily and try to press him closer to me, but he pulls away from my grasp and smiles at me in his puppyish way, slowly pulling the tie on my robe and letting it fall open. The next thing I know, he’s planting a series of small, playful kisses down my body. I feel his lips on my chin, my neck, my chest, and my stomach. As he works himself lower, I feel my anticipation rising. When he gets to my belly button, he stops his downward progress, teasing me and nipping wantonly at my skin. Again, I let out a needy moan and, as if he can sense my desire, he resumes his course, stopping when he arrives at my throbbing erection.

He smirks lasciviously and glances up at me, his amber eyes dark with lust. With a wide grin, he slowly trails his tongue across the head of my cock, eagerly lapping up the glistening drop of precome. “God Seto, you taste so good,” he breathes as he licks his lips sensually. With a throaty chuckle, he leans forward and takes my entire length into his mouth, sending a jolt of pleasure rippling through my body. 

I can feel his tongue throbbing along my length, teasing me to new levels of excitement. Slowly, he releases me, swirling his tongue around my head like a lollipop before once again engulfing me and sucking forcibly. I can’t hold back any more, and with a growled, “God, Jou,” I come down his throat, my body spasming intently with its release. I close my eyes and wait for my breathing to return to normal. A few moments later, I murmur, “You were awesome, Puppy. Come, cuddle with me.” I wait, but hear no reply, nor do I feel any movement on his part. Confused, I blink my eyes open to find myself lying alone in my darkened room, my hand on my cock, my body covered with my cooled essence. With a frustrated sigh, I wipe myself off with the already soiled sheet and roll over to the other end of the bed, too disillusioned to even bother with changing them. Disappointment washing over me, I fall back into a restless sleep, knowing that I can’t continue like this for much longer.

* * *

The next week at school, I decide that it’s time to move forward with my plan. I already know that he’s planning on going out again this weekend – I overheard him talking about it with Honda and Yugi at lunch. It’s funny; it’s not like I have to be discrete about sneaking around and eavesdropping on his conversations. Not only is his voice distinct enough to pick out of a crowd with no effort at all, but I swear that he doesn’t come with a volume switch, especially when he’s excited about something. I look down at my hands and quickly scan the counterfeit advertisement that I’d made up for Nevermore, announcing the arrival of some fabulous new DJ to the scene. I know that I could easily track Jou down and show up wherever he decides to go this weekend, but it’s going to be the puppy who comes running into my arms, and not the other way around. Now I just have to make sure that he sees this.

I know that if my plan is going to work, I’m going to have to get closer to Jounouchi; close enough to slip the paper into his things. I fold up the sheet and slip it into my pocket as I close my locker and head towards his. I see him talking to Yugi and Honda, and I frown slightly. I’d prefer to catch him alone – having the other two around complicates things and increases my chances of getting caught. Suddenly, I see his valise sitting open and unattended about a foot and a half from where he and his group stand, the three of them chatting animatedly about something or other.

I’m not proud of what I’m about to do. I prefer to operate covertly, using subtlety and finesse; besides, the puppy definitely doesn’t deserve this, but sometimes the ends justify the means, ne? I stalk towards the group, deliberately dropping my briefcase between Jou’s things and him. They turn towards me when they hear the sound, but I’ve still got the element of surprise on my side. Making my gaze as cold as possible, I grab Jounouchi by his lapels and back him into the row of lockers, picking him up slightly so that his feet aren’t quite so firmly planted on the ground. “You pathetic mongrel!” I hiss fiercely. “Are you really that stupid that you didn’t think I’d find out?”

Immediately, I see his somewhat startled amber eyes widen in surprise while, at the same time, I feel Yugi tugging vainly on my left forearm, Honda on the right. Yugi is no threat to me, but I’ve seen Honda throw a punch or two, and I really don’t want to be on the receiving end of one. I let Jou regain his footing, setting him down and holding him in place with my left hand while I shove Honda a couple of feet away from me with my right. “Stay out of this, Honda,” I growl when he takes a step in my direction. “I just need a word with the mutt here, and then you can get back to your pathetic conversation.” I narrow my eyes dangerously and glare into Jou’s face. “Well?” I sneer, giving him a small shake.

I can see the wheels in his mind turning, and he’s coming up blank. Finally, Jou finds his voice and, as his eyes sparkle in anger, he shouts, “Kaiba, have you gone fucking insane? I have no idea what the hell you’re talking about!”

I give him a contemptuous snort and say, “Right. So you’re telling me that you know nothing about the delightful ‘message’ that was so thoughtfully left on my locker?”

“Message?” he parrots, his eyebrows shooting up in surprise. “Honest Kaiba, it wasn’t me…I wish I could take the credit, but it looks like someone besides me thinks you’re an asshole.”

I smirk. Only Jou has the nerve to tell me that to my face. That’s another one of the qualities I admire about him. I take a half-step back from him, pretending to ponder his words. I give a small chuckle, then arrogantly state, “Perhaps you’re right, Mutt. After all, whoever wrote that had to have been literate. My mistake.” I turn on my heel, and hear Honda and Yugi grab onto Jou to restrain him from coming at me. With my back to them, I permit myself a smug smile. Their behaviour is _so_ predictable, and it enables me to carefully palm the sheet of paper and casually drop it into his open valise as I reach for my own briefcase. Puppy, you make it too easy for me. I continue to make my way out of the building when I hear a frustrated, “Screw you, Kaiba!” Ignoring him and continuing on my way, my smile widens. Here’s hoping.


	2. Chapter Two

For the next two weekends, I went to Nevermore every Friday and Saturday night as Quinn, hoping that Jounouchi would show up. I knew he was going out, but he had yet to come to _my_ club. Finally, two weeks after I’d slipped him the fictitious advertisement, my patience was rewarded. That Friday, as I was gathering my books from my locker, I heard Jou call out, “Hey Hon, how about this weekend we try that new club, Nevermore?” 

At those words, my pulse had raced and I had felt a slight flush warming my cheeks. Naturally, I had kept my head down, concentrating on sorting through my textbooks, and silently wondering if he’d been nervous about going there or if he’d only just found my note in that junk heap he calls his valise. After I had snuck a quick peek over at him, I knew he’d have nothing at all to worry about. His looks would more than admit him. Of course, Honda had tried to talk him out of going, whining about how he didn’t like dancing. Lucky for him, he’d only talked the puppy out of one night. If I’d have been forced to wait another week, I would have personally kicked his ass. As an added bonus, Wedge-Head had adamantly refused to be seen in such a place, so that meant that Jou would be all mine.

So now, here it is, Saturday night, and I’m anxiously waiting for Jounouchi to show up. I’ve gone a bit more radical with my dress tonight – not only am I wearing black leather pants and a white four button vest, but I’ve rimmed my eyes with black eyeliner. It’s not something I’d wear in the boardroom, but I do like the way it makes my eyes seem more animated. I’m staked out in my usual violet armchair, my feet draped casually across one of the arms, my gaze trained on the doorway. Every so often, I’m propositioned by someone to dance or asked if I’d like a drink, but of course, I turn them down. I’ve got better things to do than be groped by some harlot or make idle conversation with some idiot. There’s only one person I want to touch me. A smile crosses my lips at the thought, and I can feel a slight stirring in my groin. Hmm…perhaps this isn’t the best time to be having those thoughts, ne?

Suddenly, I hear a shrill yelp from the entranceway, and I can only pity the poor soul that Erik has groped this time. I glance over and my heart leaps into my throat as I see Jou standing there, rubbing his ass and looking back at the alcove. I feel a flash of anger at the thought of the bouncer putting his perverted hands all over my puppy but, more than that, I feel a desire greater than any I’ve ever felt when I see Jou in that vinyl outfit. He’s always looked exquisite in anything I’ve ever seen him in, but this… I swing my legs back down on the floor and can only gape at him wantonly. The shiny material clings to his body, drawing attention to his lithe, toned form and, what’s this? He’s wearing a dog collar around his neck? Oh, that is too perfect! My sweet puppy is looking for a master. I let out a soft moan, licking my lips lecherously like some sort of degenerate. I watch him make his way onto the dance floor and, when he disappears into the crowd, I move to join him. 

Already, quite a few people have gathered around him as he is consumed by the music. He is a vision of eroticism on the floor. His movements are fluid and natural as he dances, his arms raised over his head and his hips gyrating sensually. I see that he has his eyes closed; he _feels_ the music and lets it move him rather than simply moving in time with the music. He has a faint pink tinge on his cheeks, and his lips are slightly parted as his breath comes in heavy pants from the exertion he’s putting into his steps. I imagine that this would be the look he would wear if I were fucking him; so passionate, so intense, and so beautiful. I watch as other patrons, male and female alike, dance with him, brushing against him, all clamouring for his attention. A sultry smile creeps across his lips as he moves from partner to partner, yet his eyes remain closed. It’s almost as if he can sense their presence around him, and he affords no one person more of his time than the next. He continues in this manner for some time, effortlessly switching from one song to the next with an uncanny grace. I find myself enthralled by his display, unwilling to disturb such a gorgeous creature in what is obviously his natural element. I smirk and wonder if he’d be willing to give me some ‘private lessons’.

A slower song comes on, and finally, he stops. I see him gasp slightly as he looks around at the gathered crowd, his gaze momentarily meeting mine before continuing on. I can’t help but smirk. He obviously didn’t recognize me, or he’d have said something right then and there. A faint blush colours his cheeks and he nods in thanks to those of us still gathered around. I watch him head over to the bar, order a drink, and then take a seat at one of the high cocktail tables. I start to walk over to him when I see another man skulk up behind him. Instantly, my lip curls into a sneer as I watch the son of a bitch try to pick up _my_ puppy. I can see from the look on Jou’s face that he wants nothing to do with that guy, but the idiot can’t seem to take a hint. I watch him blow smoke rings with his cigarette, and I fight back the urge to grab it and force it down his throat. Scowling, I move closer to Jou. I know the puppy can handle himself, but I have a feeling that this guy’s going to be a pain in my ass. When I’m close enough to hear their conversation, I growl dangerously. I recognize the other guy – he’s the biggest sleeze I’ve ever seen, and he’s always on the prowl for a new piece of tail. It’ll be a cold day in hell before I let him even _touch_ Jou. I should break his fingers for even _thinking_ he’s in the same league with the puppy.

Even though I can’t see his face, I know that Jou is feeling very uncomfortable talking to Xavier. I shudder – even his name sickens me. I hear Jou tell Xavier that he’s here with someone and, as I’d expected, Xavier is calling his bluff. It was a good try, Puppy, but you can’t play with a player… You did well, but it’s time for me to step in. 

“Okay, I’ll play your game. Tell me, who are you here with?” Xavier asks, grinning like an idiot and baring those ridiculous fangs of his. Imbecile.

I step up behind Jou and slide my arms around his waist. Glaring at the other, I hiss venomously, “He’s here with me.” I feel Jou stiffen in my grasp but, when he turns around and looks into my eyes, I see the relief wash over his face. I don’t know who he thought I was, but I smile when I feel him relax against me. I pull him close to me, feeling myself growing painfully hard.

Xavier’s eyes widen in surprise when he sees me standing there, my arms wrapped protectively around _my_ gorgeous blond. “You’re here with him?” he says in disbelief before he scowls and continues, “I don’t believe you.”

“I don’t give a damn what you believe,” I sneer cruelly, putting the same sharpness to my words as I had that first night with Erik. Suddenly, I get an idea on how I can get rid of this jackass and hopefully give my throbbing erection a tiny reprieve. “But maybe this will convince you.” I bend my head to whisper in Jou’s ear, “Trust me and play along.” I smirk softly when I see his skin break out in goose bumps, and I know that this is going to be fun. Keeping one hand around his waist, I slide around to his side, trailing my hands up his body to cup his cheeks. I don’t want to startle Jou, so I kiss him softly on the lips. 

As soon as we make contact, I feel a surge of pleasure flood my body, and it takes every ounce of restraint on my part to not deepen the kiss. Suddenly, I feel Jou’s arms slide around my waist and, as he pulls me closer to him, I can feel him part his lips slightly in an unspoken invitation. Self-control be damned, I hungrily thrust my tongue into his mouth as my hands tangle in his soft golden tresses. Unable to help myself, I groan softly as my cock once again pulses painfully, and I’m pleased to hear a small moan escape from Jou’s lips as his tongue meets mine. I mentally curse the need to breathe and reluctantly pull away from him. I turn to look at Xavier, an arrogant smirk on my face. I see the horrified look he’s giving us, and that only heightens my sense of self-satisfaction. Too bad for him, I won the prize. Not like he ever _was_ any competition. Loser. 

Xavier lets out an irate growl, and then through clenched teeth he hisses at Jou, “Fine, I guess you do have a whore here after all.” His eyes flick momentarily over to me, and I glare at him coldly in return. “No matter, I can find some other prey. I’ll leave you be – for now.” As he slinks away, I frown slightly. I have a feeling that Jou hasn’t seen the last of him, and I vow to keep an eye on him. I see Xavier approach some tarted up woman and, knowing that we’ll be left alone for a while, I turn my attention back to Jounouchi. Now that Xavier’s gone, there’s no need for me to keep up my charade, so I slip my arms from around him and take a half-step back.

Jou sits motionless for a moment with his fingers pressed softly against his lips. His amber eyes are widened slightly and, as his gaze finally flicks over to me, he drops his hand to the table and whispers, “Sorry about that. I don’t usually –“

“Don’t worry about it,” I interrupt. He looks so flustered; it’s quite endearing. Time for our game to begin. As I slide into the chair opposite him, I smile and ask, “Honestly though, you aren’t here with anyone, are you?”

“N-no, not exactly,” Jou stammers, eyeing me curiously. I can see him taking in my appearance, studying me. I can tell that he finds something familiar about me, but I know that he doesn’t recognize me. 

“What do you mean, ‘not exactly’?” I ask with a chuckle.

Jou drops his gaze to the table top and sighs. “I was hoping that someone would show up, but I don’t think he’s going to come.” 

“Hmm, his loss,” I say. Too bad, Honda. I once again spy the leather dog collar and reach out my hand to touch it. “Mmm, now this I like. Very _animalistic_.”

Jou coughs nervously and downs the rest of his drink. Ah, it seems that the puppy is running on liquid courage. “So, uh… Thanks for what you did back there…um, I’m sorry, I don’t know your name.”

“Quinn. And you are?”

“Quinn,” Jou repeats with a nod, as if trying to commit the name to memory. “My name’s Jounouchi, but my friends call me Jou. Seriously, thanks. Um, can I, uh, buy you a drink or something?” 

Okay Puppy, I’ll go easy on you to start. I nod and pick up Jou’s empty glass. Immediately, my senses are assaulted by the scent of Stolichnaya. “So, I see we’re drinking vodka tonight. Make it two.”

Jou nods and slides out of his chair. As he’s heading for the bar, I follow dangerously close behind him, checking out his ass as he moves. There really is a fluid grace to Jou’s movements; it’s almost hypnotic. I hear him place the order and, while we’re waiting, I see Jou sneak a quick glance at me out of the corner of his eye. He frowns slightly, and my heart begins to race as I wonder if he’s going to figure out my secret. Despite how I tease him, I know that Jounouchi is not stupid. The bartender returns with our drinks and Jou hands one over to me and quickly downs his, as if trying to calm himself. 

As I take the glass, our fingers brush, and again, I’m flooded with a surge of pleasure. Already, I find myself craving his touch, but I need to remain vigilant lest I give myself away. I give him a small wink and offer him a small toast of, “Cheers.” I swallow the vodka, and I smile softly as I feel the liquid warmth spreading through my body. The feeling is perfect - just enough to take off the edge but not so much as to dull my senses. I run my tongue across my lip, tasting the combination of Jounouchi and the liquor, and I’m suddenly struck by an idea. I raise my eyes to him and smirk. I need an advantage, and I know just how to get it. “You know,” I say to him. “I just got a wicked idea. Are you a betting man, Jounouchi?” I already know the answer to my question, and I silently hope he takes the offered bait.

I can see him contemplating my question and, as he eyes me suspiciously, he asks, “What did you have in mind?”

“The Shooter Bar is upstairs. You and me and a bottle of Jagermeister – the first to quit loses. When I win, you agree to meet me here next Saturday night. _If_ you win, well, you name it. What do you say?” My smirk widens.

Jou’s eyes twinkle mischievously and his lips curve into a sexy smirk. “I say only an idiot would play a drinking game with a Brit.”

“I’m not British,” I reply mysteriously, giving him another wink. “Come on, I’ll buy,” I plead, grabbing his hand and pulling him upstairs. Despite his initial protest, I notice that Jou doesn’t need a lot of coercing and, as I get him settled at a small cocktail table, I smile at him and say, “Don’t move. I’ll be right back.”

I head over to the bar and, when the bartender approaches, I flash a dazzling smile at her and say, “A bottle of Jagermeister and two shot glasses, please.”

“You want two shots?” she asks me.

I roll my eyes and bite back the scathing comment that’s on the tip of my tongue. “No my dear, I want to buy the whole bottle.”

“I – I’m not allowed to sell you a whole bottle!” she says, eyeing me curiously. “Why don’t you just buy a couple and then come back?”

“Look,” I reply, trying to keep the biting edge out of my voice. “I want the damned bottle.” I pull out a stack of bills from my wallet and place them on the bar. “There are forty shots to a bottle, right? This will more than cover that cost, plus a sizable tip for you. What do you think?”

She eyes the stack of money greedily, and I can see her making a few quick mental calculations. Finally, she brings me the bottle and whispers, “Look, if anyone sees you, I didn’t do it, and I’m going to deny ever serving you.” She scoops up the money and says, “Thanks for the tip, big spender. Come back anytime.” I smile coldly at her and head back over to where Jou’s waiting for me. He looks nervous and, when he sees my Cheshire cat grin, he looks even more so. I set the glasses down on the table and pour out a shot for each of us, then slide one across the table to Jou. “Ready?” I ask him. “On three – one, two, three, go!” We each down our shot, and again, I’m filled by the hazy warmth of the alcohol. I watch Jou give his head a small shake and know that he’s starting to feel the effects. “I’m still in,” I say arrogantly. “You?”

Jou nods groggily and says, “I’m in. Set ‘em up again.”

I pour him another shot, and, using the darkness to my advantage, pretend to pour myself one as well. I feel a little guilty for cheating, but I’m willing to do whatever it takes to ensure my victory. I watch him finish his drink and gesture to me to go again. I can’t believe that Jou’s almost as stubborn as me, and nearly as competitive. Hell, it actually takes me eight rounds to get Jou to cede, and then, it’s only because he manages to break his glass and can’t continue. His eyes are glassy and they shift slowly from me to widen slightly when he sees the shards glinting up at him from the floor. I smile at him and say, “I think you’ve had enough and, since you’ve managed to destroy your glass, I guess that means I win by default.”

He waves his hand at me impatiently, and grumbles irritably, “Yeah, yeah.” I can tell he’s not exactly thrilled that he’s lost to me. Without another word, he slides from his chair and clambers to his feet, wavering slightly. “I need to go outside for a while and get some air. Want to come with?”

I nod and quickly step up beside him, wrapping my arm around his waist to support him. The puppy is beyond intoxicated and, if he were to fall down the stairs or worse, fall into the clutches of Xavier, I’d never forgive myself. Slowly, we make our way outside, Jou leaning on me more than I’d expected, making it very difficult for me to walk. We head through one of the main floor exits and, once we’re on the sidewalk, I see him pick up his head to once again look at me. 

“How come your legs seem to be working much better than mine right now?” he asks me through an alcoholic slur. He looks so forlorn and downtrodden; my heart aches to comfort him.

Smiling softly, I say, “I cheated. I only had one shot; you were too preoccupied to notice. I’m sorry; I won’t hold you to our bet if you don’t want to.” As much as I want to meet up with him next weekend, I can’t bring myself to take advantage of him like that. It’s not that I have moral qualms about cheating and using subterfuge – I do it all the time at work. I just feel guilty about betraying his trusting heart and kind nature. God, I must be getting soft…

I’m brought out of my musings by Jou’s half-chuckle, half-hiccup. “No, s’okay. I got nothin’ better to do next weekend,”

For a moment, I stand there stunned, blinking at him in surprise. I don’t think he meant that to sound as insulting as it came out, and suddenly, I find his comment, in all its blunt honesty, strangely amusing. With a grin and a wink, I reply, “Touché. I guess I deserved that one.” I notice that Jou suddenly looks very pale and green and, frowning in concern I state, “I think you need to get home. Can I give you a ride?”

He teeters slightly, placing his hands against my forearms for stability. “No, I’m fine. I just don’t feel so –“ I see him sway again, then my blood runs cold as I see his eyes roll back in his head slightly and feel him slump against me. Shit. Carefully, I hold him in my arms and lay him down on the sidewalk. I see him try to open his eyes, but the pained groan I hear tells me that he’s in no condition to move right now. I think to myself that he’s going to shake this off in a couple of minutes, so I kneel down beside him and gently stroke his soft, golden bangs. I see a small smile curve across his lips, and then, he stops moving. This is not good. “Jounouchi! Jou! Puppy!!” I call to him in my own voice as I cradle his head in my lap and shake him gently, trying to rouse him. I see his eyes flutter from beneath closed lids and, when I peek underneath, I see that he is now out cold. I smirk wryly, knowing that my evening has come to an abrupt halt and, as I tenderly trace my finger along Jou’s cheek, I know that his has, too. I look up and see that there’s a small group gathered around us, gaping mindlessly at me like the catch of the day at the fish market. I glare at the collected crowd and growl, “Show’s over. Beat it!” Slowly, the assembled masses shuffle away to carry on with their pathetic, little lives, leaving me to worry about my puppy.

When the throng has all but dissipated, I lay his head down on the sidewalk, kneel over Jou’s unconscious form, and proceed to scoop him up into my arms. He’s not really that heavy, but when he’s completely lifeless like this, he’s very awkward to hang on to – like a dead weight. Thank God my car isn’t very far from here. It’s less than a block that I have to carry him but, when I reach my Miata, I’m sweating and exhausted – I feel like I’ve run a marathon. Carefully, I lean him against the passenger door, propping him up with my one arm and my thigh as I fumble for the remote door lock. Once the door is open, I dump him into the passenger seat, tucking his legs around onto the floor and buckling his seatbelt. He doesn’t look very comfortable, but it’s the best I can do for right now, and it’s not like it’s a long drive to his house.

I park in front of his building and give a small groan as I remember that Jou lives on the third floor and there’s no elevator. Perfect. For a moment, I debate just bringing him back to my place to sleep it off, but then I think about how I’m dressed, and I realize that won’t work. I glance over at the slumped form sitting beside me and I give him a small smile. “Puppy,” I whisper. “This isn’t going to be fun for me, or you for that matter, but I swear I’ll get you home safe to your bed.” With a sigh, I climb out from behind the wheel and head over to the passenger side, trying to figure out the best way to approach this. I reach down and grab Jou by his collar and haul him to his feet, leaning him against the side of the car for support. I grab his right wrist with my left hand and swing his arm across the back of my neck and down my left shoulder, while at the same time quickly picking him up. With minimal effort, I manage to get him up to the third floor; now the difficult part of getting him into his bedroom.

I set Jou down for a moment, and check his pockets for his house key. I glance up and down the hallway, hoping that none of Jou’s neighbours are the nosey type. The way I’m bent over his unconscious body and frisking him really doesn’t look too good for either of us. I finally locate the key in his pants pocket and quickly unlock his apartment door. I have no idea if his father is home and, seeing as how it’s close to midnight, I have no desire to find out. As quietly as I can, I once again pick Jou up and, as we enter the apartment, I close the door behind me. 

I know where Jounouchi lives because I’ve made it my business to find that information out, but I’ve never actually set foot inside his home. As I look around, I quirk a curious eyebrow. The place is definitely small, but it is well kept. This surprises me, as I’ve seen the condition of Jou’s locker and his valise. I remind myself that this is not the time for sightseeing, and I head up the small flight of stairs toward what I hope are the bedrooms. I open the first door I come to and immediately, I know this is Jou’s room. It isn’t just the Duel Monsters poster pinned to the wall that led me to that conclusion. I see his cluttered desk, the clothes strewn about the floor and the general chaos that is typical Jounouchi, and I smile. At least he’s managed to contain his mess to _his_ room.

As carefully as I can, I lay him down on his bed and pull off his boots. As much fun as it would be to undress him and get him ready for bed, I refuse to do such a thing to an unconscious person, and besides, I don’t have that kind of time. I want a good couple of hours, completely uninterrupted…and since I can’t guarantee that, I’ll have to wait. Gently, I pull the blankets up around his neck, tucking him in the same way that I have Mokuba for years. I brush the bangs out of his eyes and smile tenderly at his sleeping form. He looks so peaceful and serene right now, I hate to leave him. But, I know I can’t stay here. I give him a soft, lingering kiss on his lips and whisper, “I know this will be hard for you to believe, Puppy – I hardly believe it myself – but I think I’m falling for you. What do you think? Think you’ll want to be there to catch me?”


	3. Chapter Three

Despite my late night, I am up and at my downtown office by seven o’clock the next morning. I’m _trying_ to work through all the project requests, budget approvals and contracts that have been piling up on me, but my attention is elsewhere. What I’m _actually_ doing is thinking about Jou. In my mind, all I can see is him sleeping peacefully in his bed, his golden hair splayed out across his pillow. I give my head a shake and turn back to the product memo I’ve been composing. I reread what I’ve written, and when I see that I’ve typed, ‘The CPU and graphics rendering puppy used in the new VR generators has a high-speed, high-definition GUI that enables speedy and easy access of various content to be enjoyed on puppies with the same ease as switching TV channels’ I know that I need to get out of the office. I grab my trench coat and head downstairs for a walk.

As I step out into the bright morning sunshine, I smile softly as I feel the warmth on my face. I school my features back into a neutral mask and take off at a brisk pace down the sidewalk. I don’t have a particular destination in mind, but I find myself heading off in the direction of Jounouchi’s house. I absently wonder how he’s feeling this morning, and imagine that he was quite surprised to find himself back in his bed when he woke up. I wish I could have been there for that moment – I’m sure it would have been priceless. There is hardly any traffic on the streets, and I find the solitude comforting as I walk, lost in my thoughts. As I round the next corner, I feel something collide with me, and I step back a pace to regain my balance.   
When I look up, I see that I’ve literally run into Jounouchi, and I feel a rush of happiness flood through me.

I watch Jou stumble backwards, frantically trying to remain upright, but the weight of whatever he’s got crammed into his backpack throws off his equilibrium, and he falls onto his ass on the sidewalk. I chuckle softly as I remember that I’d told Jou that I’d fallen for him – not the other way around.

“Hey, why don’t you look where the fuck you’re going?” Jou shouts at me from where he still sits on the ground. I laugh harder – he’s yet to look up and see me. Finally he raises his eyes, and when he realizes it’s me, he gets this crestfallen look on his face and mutters, “Ah, hell!”

“I could say the same to you, Mutt,” I respond as I look down at the blond. “And here you are, running around off your leash. Be careful you don’t get taken away to the pound – I hear they put down pathetic mongrels like you.” Despite my recent…revelations…I have to maintain the status quo.

“Fuck you, Kaiba! For the last time, I’m not a damned dog!” Jou shouts, his last words coming out like a pathetic howl, contradicting his statement. He brings his hands up to his head and I see his face twist into an agonized grimace. My heart aches as I realize he’s beyond hung over and obviously in a lot of pain.

I feel quite guilty right now. Not only am I the one who put him in that condition, but I can sympathize, too – I’ve been in that position myself on more than one occasion. From my own experience, I know how I can help him. Now I just have to convince him to trust me. “Come on, Pup, on your feet,” I say to him as I offer him a hand up.

Jou swats my hand away and snaps hotly, “I don’t need or want your help, Kaiba. I’m perfectly capable of taking care of…” He trails off mid-sentence and stares at me for a moment, his face a mixture of shock and disbelief. “Did you just call me ‘Pup’?” he asks, his voice almost a whisper.

Damn it. My eyes widen in surprise as I mentally berate myself for such an amateur slip up. I re-school my features into a blank mask and growl, “Don’t be an idiot. Now get up.”

Jou glares at me and defiantly folds his arms across his chest. “I don’t take orders from you.”

I can’t believe how obstinate Jou’s being, and I sigh irritably. “Are you always this stubborn, or are you just making a special effort today?” I ask him as I grab him by his jacket and, like I did last night, haul him to his feet. My aching muscles cry out painfully, but the moment of discomfort is worth it for the look on Jounouchi’s face.

For a moment, Jou just stares at me, his mouth agape and his eyes wide. We’ve tangled physically in the past, but I don’t think he was expecting me to simply power him up into a standing position. Finally, he straightens his jacket huffily and hisses, “What the hell is wrong with you?”

“Look, Mutt,” I reply. “There’s nothing wrong with me, but I _know_ what’s wrong with you – you look even more pathetic than usual. Come on, I think I may be able to help you.” 

I see Jou quirk an eyebrow, and I can tell that he’s suspicious. I don’t blame him. It’s not like we’ve ever been best friends; hell, we’re barely civil to each other on a day-to-day basis. ‘Kindness’ is definitely a new twist for me, and like I said, Jou’s not stupid. “Okay, Kaiba, I don’t know what kind of game you’re playing today, but why are you offering to help me, and what’s it gonna cost me?” 

“No games, no cost. Let’s just say that I sympathize with you.”

Jou laughs coldly, the sound piercing my soul like an arrow. “With you, there’s always a cost; it’s just not always up front. I don’t need your pity, Kaiba. Why don’t you go back to doing whatever the hell you were on your way to do, and let me be?”

I can’t help feeling a little rejected. Flatly, I respond, “Whatever, Mutt. I offered, take it or leave it. I’m not going to beg – that’s your job. See you around.” I step around him and continue on my walk. Only now, I have no idea where I’m going. Jou’s obviously not at home, and to simply turn around and head back to the office would look strange. I harbour a small ray of hope that he might still change his mind, and I slow my pace slightly as I continue walking.

I get about halfway down the block when I hear his voice call out, “Hey Kaiba! Hang on!” I turn back to him, a smile playing upon my lips. I see him jogging down the sidewalk toward me, and my heart soars as he stops at my side, panting slightly. “Alright, how can you help me?”

“Come with me,” I say coolly, beckoning to him with a simple crook of my finger. Obediently, he trails after me as we walk in silence. After about ten minutes, I stop outside a small shop and I see Jou doubled over and gasping for breath. I give a small chuckle – sometimes I forget just how long my legs really are. “Get in,” I say as I hold the door open for him.

He glares at me for a moment before stepping inside. I see him looking around like some sort of tourist, checking out the décor. Knowing that he’s going to need to sit down and rest for a bit, I place my hand on his back and push him towards one of the booths by the windows. “Sit,” I command, noticing with some worry the pallid hue that his skin has taken.

Again, Jou defiantly crosses his arms and glares at me. “You know, it’s considered polite to ask people to do something rather than ordering them all the time,” he says coolly. I roll my eyes impatiently, as I listen to him rant. Finally I’ve had enough. He winces in pain as I place my hand on his shoulder and push him down onto the bench. “Ow! Shit, that hurt, you bastard!” he grumbles at me as he rubs his arm. 

I sit down across from him and glare right back at him. His stubbornness is really starting to irritate me, and I say the only thing I can think of to shut him up. “This isn’t a date, Mutt. Get over it,” I hiss petulantly.

I see the faint blush creep across his cheeks, and he drops his eyes, avoiding my gaze. He takes a deep breath and looks back at me, opening his mouth as if to say something, but he is again startled into silence by the appearance of Miko.

“What can I get you, Hon?” the matronly woman asks, giving me a small wink and then looking directly at Jou. 

Jou’s obviously taken aback by her question. He quickly glances across the table at me then back to Miko. Quietly he stammers, “Uh…coffee, black please.”

“No coffee,” I interrupt, staring sternly at him.

“Kaiba, I want a fucking coffee,” Jou protests.

“You don’t need caffeine,” I reply crossly, not really wanting to get into an argument with the blond here. I see Miko smiling at us, a confused expression on her face, and I say to her, “Give us a minute.” She nods and walks off; and as soon as no one is listening, I lean across the table and with a scowl I say menacingly, “You are a stubborn puppy. Do I have to put a tighter leash on you?” I know that Jou and I aren’t exactly what you would call ‘best friends’, but he’s never been this defensive when dealing with me before. I narrow my eyes crossly and fold my arms across my chest as I stare at him. I see him blush and start to fidget in his seat. Whether his apparent discomfort is a result of my glare or some other random thought passing through his mind, I don’t know, but when I see him start to reach for his backpack, I’m convinced it has something to do with me. Maybe I should ease off a _tiny_ bit…

Miko comes back over and asks politely, “Do you still need another minute?”

I keep my eyes locked on Jou, ready to grab him should he try to leave. There’s no way that’ll happen without a damned good explanation. I give Miko a small nod and reply, “Tea for me, and he’ll have my Monday Morning Special – Version Two.” I see Jounouchi’s eyes flash angrily when I order for him and he opens his mouth as if to argue, but when he catches the warning in my eyes, he flops back against his seat. 

For several minutes, Jou keeps his gaze down, studying the tabletop with rapt fascination. While he’s preoccupied, I soften my gaze and stare at him like a wolverine eyeing up a piece of meat. He really is a gorgeous creature – deep amber eyes flecked with gold, hair the colour of honey, and a body I could spend a lifetime studying. Finally Jou looks up at me and asks, “So, what is it I’m getting?”

I’m tempted to say, ‘Me,’ but I resist the urge, a small smirk creeping across my lips. He cocks his head to the side, studying me curiously as though trying to figure out what I’m thinking. Oh Puppy, if only you knew! Knowing he’s waiting for my reply, I answer, “Something I invented after my first all-night business meeting. It looks absolutely foul, but trust me, it works.”

Again, Jou looks like he wants to ask me something, but before he can reply, Miko arrives with our drinks. She sets the teapot in front of me, and a milkshake glass of my special hangover cure in front of Jou. She sets a straw down on the table for him, and then pats him sympathetically on the shoulder. Miko’s nursed me through more glasses of this than I care to remember, and she always offers me the same kind smile and never passes judgment. I watch in amusement as Jou sticks the straw into the thick brownish-orange concoction, sniffing it tentatively. I bite my lip to stifle the rising chuckle I feel – his actions speak louder than words, and more than qualify as ‘doggy’ behaviour. He raises his eyes to me, narrowing them suspiciously, his head cocked to the side. This time, I think I do bite through my lip in my effort to hold back my laughter. In a low voice he asks, “How do I know you aren’t giving me something that’s going to make me sick, just so you can laugh at me?”

I roll my eyes and give my head a small shake. “Quit being so paranoid. I don’t need to make you sick to laugh at you. You provide ample opportunities on your own.” Of course his apprehension is unfounded, but his mistrust is worthy of a Kaiba. Were the situation reversed, I would have probably had a similar thought. Still, I can’t help but feel insulted and a little bit wounded that he would think such things of me. I pour myself some tea and as I lift the cup to my lips, I notice that he’s still staring at me, the same wary expression on his face. “What now?”

He stares at me for a moment longer, as if weighing some important decision, and then he pushes his glass in front of me. I quirk a curious eyebrow at him and he says, “You try it first.”

At this point, I think that he’s moved beyond paranoid – he’s now bordering on neurotic. “Honest to God, you’re worse than a child!” I snap as I grab the teaspoon off of my saucer and huffily take a spoonful. I make sure he’s watching me as I taste the drink, and then I vehemently slam the spoon back down on the table top. Glaring angrily at Jou, I hiss tersely, “Satisfied that I’m not out to poison you?” 

Jou pulls the glass back towards him and nods. “Well, I wouldn’t put it past you. You can be a bit of a dickhead sometimes.” My anger quickly ebbs, and I can feel my stomach lurch as I realize just how little trust exists between the two of us. And, as I tell myself that _I_ am the one responsible for that, I feel a pain in my chest unlike anything I’ve ever experienced.

My first thought is to say something that will put his mind at ease, but I know that such an action would rouse his suspicions even further. “Don’t flatter yourself. You’re not that important to me that I’d waste my time and energy trying to kill you.” Now pursuing you, that’s a completely different matter…

There is barely a pause before Jou blurts out, “Well then, why did you waste your time and energy trying to help me?” He lets out a small gasp and immediately, he shifts his gaze to the table top as a deep crimson creeps across his face. 

I can feel my own cheeks getting warm, and I quickly take a sip of my tea to camouflage it. Setting down my cup, I shrug offhandedly and say, “I had an hour to kill and nothing better to do.” I see a look of pain momentarily cloud his eyes, and I know that I went a little too far with that remark. I know I can’t tell him the truth – not yet at least. Remorsefully, I turn to stare out the window. 

Jou sits quietly for a moment, and I hear him slide the glass directly in front of him and take a small sip. “Hey Kaiba, this isn’t bad at all. What’s in it?”

I turn back to him and smirk, “Company secret.”

“What? You’ve got to be joking!” he exclaims incredulously.

“I am,” I reply with a smile. Not a smirk, but a bona fide smile.

Jou chokes on his drink and stares at me in genuine disbelief, his mouth hanging half open. When he finally catches his breath, he squeaks, “I’ve never known you to crack a joke! Did Hell just freeze over?”

I’ve never let one of Jounouchi’s barbs get to me before but, for some reason, this one seems to cut particularly deep. Without thinking, I growl coolly, “There are a lot of things about me that you don’t know.” I stare intently at the blond, trying to make him submit to my gaze in an attempt to soothe my bruised ego. As I expected, he begins to meticulously analyze his glass as he sips his drink. Again, I regret what I’ve said. After a few more minutes of mentally berating myself, I clear my throat and say, “It contains vegetable juice, orange juice, honey, bananas, strawberries, a few different crushed vitamins, some crushed aspirin, vanilla ice cream, and a couple of other things. Normally, it’s made with milk but, given your love of desserts, I assumed you would prefer this version.”

Jou flushes happily as a wide grin spreads across his face. “How’d you know I like desserts?” he asks.

I can’t help but snicker. “Given your daily antics in the cafeteria at lunch, only an idiot would not know that.” That’s only partially true – I’ve been watching him for nearly a month now…and I’ve seen him routinely eat nothing _but_ dessert for lunch. I glance down at my watch and see that we’ve been together for nearly an hour. As much as I want to stay and chat with the puppy, I really do need to get back to work. “Well Mutt, it’s been interesting. You will drink another one of these, then you should be back to normal – well, at least to the way you were before. I’ll have one prepared for you to take with you.”

I stand up from the table, catching Miko’s eye as I do. I gesture to her to prepare another drink for Jou, and then I straighten out my coat. I glance out the window, and suddenly, I can feel my expression harden as I scowl. “Son of a bitch!” I growl as I see Xavier strolling casually down the sidewalk, obviously on the prowl for something. I glance back at Jounouchi, who’s curiously eyeing me up. My gaze shifts back to the window and I feel my lips curl into a cruel sneer. I think back to last night and how he wouldn’t leave Jou alone. The memory only serves to further fuel my rage, and with a furious snarl, I turn and storm out of the café.

Once outside, I’m torn between going after Xavier to pound that jackass to within an inch of his life for even thinking of going after Jounouchi, and heading back to the office to work. I glower at the retreating figure and know that if I go after him now, Jou will know something is up. But, if I simply let him walk away, I’ll spend the better part of the day brooding. Both options seem counterproductive. I pull my cell phone from my pocket and quickly dial my security chief. “I need you to keep an eye on someone for me,” I say when the line is answered. “I don’t want you to touch him, and I don’t want him to know he’s being followed, but if anyone tries to harm him, you have my permission to intervene. If anything does happen, I want to be informed immediately. He’ll be coming out of the café in about 5 minutes, blond, carrying a backpack. Get here.” I snap the phone closed and head back to my office. I might not be able to protect you right now, Puppy, but I’ll always be close by. Somewhat satisfied with the arrangements I’ve made, I return to my office, my head now clear and focused on writing product memos.


	4. Chapter Four

On Monday morning, I arrive at school about an hour early. I slide into my desk and pull a book out of my briefcase. Looking around, I see that no one else is here, and I begin to read. It’s strange, really. At my home, I have an extensive library, yet I never manage to find the time to simply sit and read. If I’m not dealing with Kaiba Corp business, I’m caring for Mokuba or taking care of some other ridiculous problem pertaining to the running of my household. But here at school, I find that I can slip very easily into my role as ‘high school student’ and make time to do some of the things that I enjoy. It’s of little consequence to me that I have to get here agonizingly early to do it, though.

As the time passes, I become aware of the growing noise from out in the hallway, and I know that it won’t be long before classes begin for the day. Other than the thrill I get from taunting Jounouchi, the whole school experience is a waste of my time. Most of the information I learned years ago under Gozaburo’s ‘tutelage’, but I go through the motions anyway. It’s one of the requirements of Mokuba’s and my emancipation and, as selfish as it sounds, I do enjoy the relative peace and quiet it affords me. I hear the door open, and as I give a surreptitious glance over the top of my book, I can see that it’s Jounouchi, and that he’s smiling. My heart flutters slightly as I see him walking this way and I quickly drop my gaze. Apparently, he’s feeling a lot better; but then again, I knew that he would be. He stops in front of my desk, and I can see his eyes flick down to scan the title of my book – ‘The Prince’ by Machiavelli. I can tell he’s not familiar with it, but I say nothing. He tries to lean casually against my desk, and there’s a somewhat awkward look to him – sort of like he wants to say something, but doesn’t know where to begin. I decide to get the ball rolling. “What do you want?” I ask shortly, my eyes still fixed on my book. Never mind the fact that I finished this particular page some time ago…

He nervously runs his fingers through his hair and mumbles, “I just wanted to say thanks, you know, for helping me out yesterday.” I can tell by his mannerisms that that is not all he wants. Hoping to draw it out of him, I give him an indifferent grunt. I can see him thinking; he’s trying to figure out how to proceed. There is a brief moment of silence and, when he sees that he’ll get no further comment from me, he takes a deep breath and says, “I was also wondering about that café we went to – I’ve never noticed it before.”

Time to turn things up a notch. “That doesn’t surprise me. Your powers of observation are less than stellar.” I see the tiniest hint of a pout curve his luscious mouth downwards, and I quickly add, “It’s a small business for the exclusive use of Kaiba Corp employees.” I flip the page and frown slightly. You’re stalling, Puppy. You don’t really give a damn about that – get to the crux of what you really want to ask me…

“Oh,” he finally says as he shifts uncomfortably from one foot to the other. I think that he was hoping my explanation would be longer… His eyes dart anxiously around the room for a moment before he asks casually, “So, um, how is it that you know Xavier?”

This time, I close my book and look up into his earnest, amber eyes. Xavier. Just hearing his name fills me with uncontrollable jealousy and hatred, and I can feel my gaze hardening. I can’t very well tell him the truth – that I saw the son of a bitch hitting on him and now have this insatiable desire to see great physical harm befall him. Unable to keep the loathing I feel for that black haired bastard out of my voice, I sneer, “That is really none of your concern.” There is a heavy silence as I stare deeply into Jou’s face, and I can see a faint, pink tinge colouring his cheeks. His reaction puzzles me, so this time I press for more information. “How is it that _you_ know him, Mutt?”

This time, he flushes a deep crimson, and quickly drops his gaze from mine, as though he doesn’t want to look me in the eyes. What is he so ashamed of? “Uh, I met him the other day when I was…out.”

Out. I smirk in amusement. Is that how he explains dressing up in an extremely tantalizing manner and drawing all eyes to him? Jou looks so much more gorgeous when he’s flustered, so I ask, “Bar or porn store?”

Jou’s eyes snap back to me, wide in shock. “What?”

“Did you meet him in a bar or a porn store?”

“Kaiba, how would you –“

“I know his type, and I want to know if you met him in a bar or a porn store.”

“Bar,” Jou mumbles. 

I can’t help but be amazed by Jounouchi’s candour. He owes me nothing by way of an explanation, and he’d found himself in a compromising position, yet still, he tells me the truth. I admire that about him. “That explains yesterday, then,” I say with a nod. I feel like such a fool pretending that I don’t know what’s going on…

Jou gets this overly-indignant look on his face. “But I never – “

“Relax, Mutt. I didn’t think you two were dating, although if you are, it makes no difference to me,” I reply, fighting back the wave of nausea and the overwhelming urge to vomit. What a horrific thought! Jou is miles out of his league. I give a disdainful snort at the thought of Xavier touching my puppy. “You may be an idiot at times, but I would hope that even a pathetic disappointment like you could do better than that loser. Now, unless you have something interesting or important to say, quit wasting my time.” I pick my book back up off of my desk, and pretend to resume my reading, curious to see if he’ll press for more information. 

“Really?” Jou snaps, obviously irritated. “And just who would you suggest I pursue? Who does a nothing like me deserve? Maybe an asshole like _you_?” he sneers, and I can feel his heated glare focused on me.

Even though he said it in anger, the words give me a trembling feeling in the pit of my stomach. I can feel a blush spreading across my cheeks while, at the same time, I can feel a slight stirring in my groin. Damn it. With all my concentration, I will it away, hoping that Jou doesn’t notice. Until I’m sure that I’ve got complete control over my traitorous body, I don’t dare look up at him, lest I wind up with a raging hard on and lose total control of the situation.

When I don’t respond, I can hear him grinding his teeth in annoyance. Finally, he growls, “Screw you, Kaiba! You know, I just don’t understand you. Yesterday, you acted almost human and proved that you are capable of carrying on a decent conversation. Today, you’re back to your old, arrogant asshole self!” He gives his head an aggravated shake and, while he gathers his thoughts together for the next attack, I frown slightly. I don’t particularly enjoy being seen as the world’s biggest prick but, as Machiavelli puts it, it’s better to be feared than loved. Besides, it’s not as if _Jou_ loves me, and he’s the only one that matters… “Fuck, I think that if someone were to show you that you’re not superior to the rest of us, you might realize that being friends with someone actually has some benefit!”

My frown grows, and I can feel my temper rising. It’s not that I don’t want friends, but all of the things I’ve done in the past can’t be undone and forgotten. Add to that my insecurity and inexperience in dealing with people. I’m not talking about routine business meetings and casual get-togethers; I’m talking intimate closeness – friends, lovers and the like. It’s not a matter of being superior, it’s being afraid of rejection, of being betrayed, of making a mistake. I can’t afford to fail. And if only he knew how much I want to ‘be human’… Angrily, I slam my book down on the desk top and rise from my chair, standing virtually nose-to-nose with the blond. I’m annoyed that he mistakes my reluctance for arrogance, and I whisper menacingly, “You don’t know anything, Jounouchi. Any time you think you are man enough to take me down, you are welcome to try.”

We stare each other down and, when I don’t see Jou backing away, my anger quickly ebbs. I know that none of this is Jou’s fault – it’s my own for allowing myself to repress my humanity. As I lose myself in his golden gaze, I feel myself once again becoming lost in his eyes, but I don’t care. I find myself wanting Jou less and less for his body, and more for his company. Is this what they mean by ‘unconditional love’? I want him to teach me, help me…love me. And, as much as I want to tell him this, I can’t seem to find the words. Instead, I continue to stare intently at him, hoping that the adage is true and that the eyes truly are the windows to the soul. I hear him let out a small gasp, and my heart gives an excited, little flutter.

Jou opens his mouth as though he wants to ask another question, but he is interrupted by the bell, and then the noise of the rest of our classmates entering the room. Talk about impeccable timing… The next thing I know, Honda grabs Jou by the wrist and starts dragging him over to his desk. “Man, you’ve got to quit challenging Kaiba like this. You know he’s going to kick your ass one of these days!” the stocky brunet scolds as he presses a hand on Jou’s shoulder and dumps him into his desk. Moron. It was hardly a challenge; it was…something else. I feel a small rush of pleasure when I realize that during the whole fiasco, Jou’s gaze never once wavered – his gorgeous amber eyes remained, and still are, trained on me. Well Puppy, today I’m going to give you a special treat – this time, the battle is yours. With a smirk, I blink and turn my attention to the front of the room, imagining the surprised expression on Jou’s face.

* * *

By Friday, I’m certain that I’ve hopelessly confused Jounouchi. I feel very guilty for my temperament as of late, but I really can’t help myself. A lot of the things I’m feeling are so unfamiliar to me, and just the slightest misspoken word seems to send me off on an angry tirade. And everything that I’m experiencing seems to revolve around _him_. I allow my eyes to drift over to where he’s leaning on his elbow against his desk, a bored expression on his face as he listens to the sensei talk about vectors. I smirk as I see his brow furrow in confusion as he attempts to scribble down the elaborate calculation from the blackboard, his hair sticking up haphazardly from where he’d run his fingers through it in frustration only moments before. I could teach him all about physics – I just have to put it into a manner he would understand.   
My lips curve into a smile as I imagine using the billiard table in my games room to demonstrate angle of incidence and angle of reflection…and then move to a practical demonstration on the laws of motion, with Jou on his hands and knees, his ass thrust proudly into the air. For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction, indeed! 

Jou yawns hugely and rolls his eyes, his gaze catching mine. Shit! Immediately, I turn my attention back to the problem on the board, pretending to be studying it. In all honesty, I know that I’ve been caught staring – just like I have been every day this week. I try to convince myself that I wasn’t fantasizing about him, that I really don’t get overly excited by him, but the throbbing in my cock tells me otherwise, and my vehement denial only serves to make me angrier and more frustrated. It’s a vicious cycle, really – and as far as I can tell, there is only one solution. I glance over at the blond again, and notice that he’s turned his attention back to the front of the room. And so, the whole sequence of events starts anew… 

The bell finally rings, freeing me from this academic hell, and I hurriedly and haphazardly cram everything into my briefcase so that I can leave before Jounouchi can corner me. I’m sure he’s convinced that this is all part of some elaborate scheme to humiliate him, and really, I’m not in the mood for lies and subterfuge today. There’s really only one thing that I’m in the mood for, and I can’t have him. Scowling, I quickly exit the room, other students and even teachers stepping aside as they see me coming. I push open the school doors a little more forcibly than normal, feeling a sense of satisfaction when I hear them slam against the brick walls of the alcove. Not bothering to wait for my driver to come around and open my door, I fling by briefcase into the back of the limo and climb in after it, slamming the door behind me and slouching churlishly in my seat. As the limo pulls away from the curb, I begin my usual afternoon routine of changing out of my school uniform and into my regular clothes as my driver makes the drive toward the KaibaCorp offices. I stow my uniform in the small valet compartment under the seat, knowing it will be attended to when I get home, and I slide on a pair of black cotton trousers, a deep, royal blue button-down shirt, and my black wool trench coat. As I’m bent forward, tying up my black Oxfords, I impulsively reach out and press the intercom button. “Change of plans. We’re not going to KaibaCorp. I want you to drive me around town until I tell you to take me home.”

“Sir?” comes the confused voice of my driver. I have to admit, this _is_ one of my more unusual demands.

“I didn’t realize that ‘drive me around’ was a complicated request,” I sneer. “Let me make this crystal clear for you. Drive me around downtown until I feel like doing something else. I don’t give a damn if you go around the same block a thousand times, but I’m not going to KaibaCorp, and I’m not going home. Understand?”

“Y-yes, Sir,” he stammers. I know I should feel a little ashamed for attacking him with my misdirected rage, and I probably will later on after I’ve had time to think, but right now, I’m so inexplicably angry that I’m far from rational. 

I flip open my cell phone and dial my secretary. When she answers, I snap, “I won’t be in tonight. Cancel my appointments and reschedule for next week.”

“What shall I tell your clients, Sir?” she asks cautiously. I know that, in her own subtle way, she’s trying to discern what is going on. 

“I don’t give a shit,” I reply snarkily. “I just don’t fucking feel like coming in today. Deal with it appropriately.” Before she can respond, I hang up on her. Sullenly, I turn to gaze out the window, letting my mind drift back to Jounouchi. For the next two hours, I brood in silence about the blond, feeling my temper surge and ebb as I try to blame him for my current, irrational mindset. I try to convince myself that it’s his fault that he’s so kind, so beautiful, so unattainable. Every argument I present I immediately counter and, in the end, I find my fury has abated, only to be replaced with a melancholy bitterness. I come to realize that it’s my fault we can’t be together, and that yes, I do love him. With a resigned sigh, I wearily tell my driver, “Take me home.”

We’re heading through one of the older downtown streets when I see something that once again gets my blood boiling. I see a flash of golden hair and a shock of black, and I immediately recognize Jounouchi and Xavier. “Stop the car. Now!” I hiss into the intercom, watching through narrowed eyes as Jou manages to land a sucker punch on Xavier’s jaw, only to be caught and rammed forcibly into a brick wall. I’ve seen more than enough and, before my driver has the car completely stopped, I step out, a fresh wave of anger coursing through my body. _Nobody_ messes with what is mine.

I hear Jou shout, “Go to hell!” and see him draw back for another punch, and I inwardly wince. I know that Jounouchi is an excellent street fighter, but Xavier is no slouch, and he doesn’t play fair. I see the dark haired man easily sidestep Jou’s attack, and the blond, hindered by the weight of his cumbersome backpack, is thrown off balance by his own forward momentum. He trips, landing on his hands and knees as his backpack skitters across the sidewalk to where I stand. Jou sees me standing there, and demands, “What the hell are you doing here?”

In my growing rage, I don’t hear him. I simply stand there, motionless, and glare at Xavier. I can feel my hands clenching into loose fists and, as the evening breeze blows around me, I begin to formulate a strategy. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Jou starting to get to his feet. As well as he’s done in this little confrontation, it takes a cold-hearted bastard to take down another cold-hearted bastard. “Stay,” I growl at the blond as my lips curve into a menacing snarl, and I take a step towards Xavier. I am relieved to see him obey me without protest; I don’t want to have to pull a punch because I’m afraid of hurting Jou.

Xavier smiles at me with that irritating smirk he has and sneers, “This doesn’t concern you.”

I stop about a foot away from him and glare at him icily. He stands about as tall as Jou, so I should be able to use my height against him, although he definitely has the weight advantage. “On the contrary, it most certainly does,” I hiss dangerously, a low growl rumbling in my throat.

Xavier stares at me, obviously studying me the way I’m studying him, each of us looking for a definitive advantage in this standoff. Finally, he narrows his eyes coldly and says, “Suit yourself.” He tries to knock me off balance by pushing me backwards, but I’m able to anticipate his move and block him before countering with a quick hit of my own. I curse to myself when he manages to duck – I’ll give him credit, he is quick. He manages to grab my arm and slide in behind me as he wrenches my shoulder by twisting my wrist up behind my back. I feel him grab the back of my coat, and then he tries the same move on me that he used on Jounouchi. I see the brick wall approaching fast but, before I hit it, I manage to get my other arm up, using my forearm to shield my face from the impact. I give a small hiss of pain; there’s definitely going to be a bruise there tomorrow. I feel the heavier man press against my back, and I shudder internally. I can’t stand being this close to Xavier, let alone touching him. “You’ve gotten yourself into more trouble than you bargained for,” he hisses with a saccharine-like sweetness to his voice.

Amateur mistake. While he’s busy gloating at my side, I manage to wrest myself from his grasp and whirl around to face him. I see the momentary look of surprise on his face and, before he can react, I manage to backhand him right across the bridge of his nose. 

I smirk sadistically when Xavier lets out a howl of pain, and blood begins to drip from his nose. Immediately I know that I’ve broken it. I grab him by the collar and back him into the wall, noticing the slight grimace on his face. I can feel something dripping onto the sleeve of my coat, and I know that it’s his blood. I glance down at it in disgust – I’m going to have to send this out for cleaning before I can wear it again, but it was _so_ worth it for the black eyes I know that the bastard will have by tomorrow morning. I lean forward and, keeping my voice deliberately low, I whisper threateningly, “No, you’ve gotten yourself into more trouble than _you_ bargained for. Stay the hell away from what belongs to me, or the next time, I won’t be so…generous.” I release my hold and watch as Xavier scurries away, one hand clamped over his wounded face. Again, I doubt that I’ve seen the last of him, but at least he won’t be bothering Jou for a while.

Now that Xavier’s gone, I can feel the anger rushing out of me, quickly being replaced by concern for my puppy. I turn to look at Jou, who’s quickly climbing to his feet, a look of fury flashing in his amber eyes. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” he shouts at me.

Reflexively, my defences go up when I hear his hostile tone of voice. “I think I’m saving your pathetic ass from that piece of trash,” I respond coolly.

“Yeah, well, I didn’t ask for your help. I can take care of myself, and don’t need you sticking your nose where it’s not wanted or welcome.”

I snort. It’s not like I expect him to fling himself into my arms like the rescued damsel in distress, but I’m amazed that he doesn’t recognize the seriousness of his situation. “Yes, and you were doing such an admirable job of it, too. Was the tripping a part of your ‘routine’?” I see Jou’s eyes widen slightly at the accusation. Suddenly, I’m struck by a thought so repulsive that just the idea of it makes me nearly nauseous. I narrow my eyes and hiss cruelly, “Don’t tell me you actually give a damn about that – insignificance.”

Jou doesn’t answer my implied question. Instead, he snarls, “Go to hell, Kaiba. Now I owe you two favours, and I hate the idea of owing you anything.”

I stare at him icily for a few moments, my own rage quickly resurfacing. Not only does it annoy me that he feels compelled to compensate me, but the fact that he didn’t deny his feelings for Xavier infuriates me to no end. Before I can think things through, I snarl out an insult I know will hurt him. “I didn’t ask for repayment. Like I need or want the doting gratitude of a worthless nothing like you, Jounouchi. Besides, there’s nothing you have that I could possibly want.” Now that is a complete and total lie. In my heart, I know I want Jou. In fact, I’m starting to believe I need him to feel complete…

My comment sends Jou over the edge and, with an enraged growl, he lunges at me like a wild animal, his fists raised. I’ve tangled with Jounouchi on more occasions than I dare count, and I’ve yet to be bested by him. It’s not that he’s weak or can’t fight but, unless he catches me by surprise, he really doesn’t have a chance. I easily catch both his hands in mine and pin his arms down by his sides. He struggles wildly, but the effort is in vain. Right now, I have the upper hand but, with this wall behind me, that could easily change. I turn us around so that Jou is now the one with his back to the wall, and I press his hands into the cool brick of the building behind him, effectively immobilizing him. My lips curve up into a sneer as I draw closer to the blond, and I notice him flinch ever so slightly. My body is now pressed flat against his, my face nearly touching his. I can feel his breath on my cheek as I demand angrily, “Do you?” I need to know the answer to my question, the one question that will either keep me going, or send me into a spiral of despair.

Jou blinks at me, obviously unsure of what I’m asking him. “Do I what?” he growls back at me, putting on a brave front.

I bring his arms up and over his head, forcefully slamming them into the bricks and holding them fast as I clarify my question. “Do you love him?”

I see Jou’s eyes widen in a mixture of surprise and horror. “Xavier? Hell no!” he replies vehemently, obviously disgusted that I would dare ask such a question. I nod in acknowledgement, all my anger washing out of me, and I’m filled with such a sense of longing and desire that I can barely contain myself. 

I look once more at his gorgeous features, and before I can stop myself, I’ve cut him off in mid-rant with a kiss to his lips. I feel him struggle against me as though he wants to push me away, but then he relaxes and I feel his lips part slightly. I take this as unspoken permission, and boldly thrust my tongue into his mouth, tasting the sweet, almost candy-like flavour of my puppy. When I realize that he is actually responding positively to my kiss, I feel my cock harden painfully. I grind my hips against his as I thrust one of my thighs between his legs to brush against his groin, and I bring one of my hands down to tangle in the silky, flaxen locks. When I hear Jou’s small moan of pleasure, I’m jolted back to reality, and my blood runs cold. Shit. What have I done? 

Abruptly, I back away from the blond, straightening out my coat as I head back to my waiting car. “Drive!” I bark as soon as the door is shut, and I resist the urge to look back at my puppy who I’ve abandoned on the street corner. I curse my lack of self-control as I order my driver to take me home. Settling back into the plush leather, I can’t help but smirk as I touch my fingers to my lips in an effort to preserve the heat of the kiss. I have a feeling that my reckless actions may come back to haunt me but, in the here and now, it’s bliss.


	5. Chapter Five

It’s Saturday night, and I am practically squirming in anticipation. Note I said ‘practically’. I don’t squirm. Ever. I _might_ be tempted to if I had an eager puppy lapping at my ear, but until I can test that hypothesis, I stand by my words. I take my time getting ready for the evening – Mokuba has decided to spend the night at a friend’s house, so I feel no remorse whatsoever for going out and indulging in my secret, little fantasy. My double-life as Quinn has definitely gotten me closer to my puppy, and I cannot wait to have him willingly in my arms again tonight. As I finish dressing in my tight fitting black slacks, black silk dress shirt and wine-coloured, suede blazer – the very outfit I wore my first night to Nevermore – I realize that Jounouchi and I never discussed a meeting time or place. I glance at the clock on my dresser and see that it’s nearly 9:00. I had better get moving.

I slip quietly out one of the side entrances to the estate and head over to my personal garage. Again, I choose my black Miata – it’s sporty enough that it’s fun to drive without being overly pretentious. I slide behind the wheel, backing the car out of the drive and onto the street. I hit the gas at the same time I pop the clutch, and the small sports coupe launches itself down the street amid a squealing of tires and a small cloud of burnt rubber. I grin wildly as I fight to keep the back end of the car from skidding out of control. It’s not often that I indulge myself in such reckless behaviour, but for some reason, tonight I can’t seem to help myself. When I arrive at the club, I can see that it is already bustling with patrons, and I secretly hope that Jounouchi is already inside. I don’t think I can stand to wait a moment longer to see his beautiful face. I park along one of the quieter side streets and slip inside. 

Once I make it to the alcove, I don’t know whether to laugh or be pissed off at what I see. Erik, the bouncer, has one of his large arms draped across Jou’s shoulder, and he is having what looks to be a very intimate conversation with my puppy. Well, it’s a one-sided conversation…Jou looks like he’s wishing for the floor to open up beneath him and swallow him, and Erik, ever oblivious to what is going on around him, is doing his damnedest to sweet talk Jou. For the time being, mild amusement wins out over jealousy; after all, Jou seems to want no part of the large, muscle-bound idiot beside him. I can’t say that I blame him – the man is a walking steroid, and given the revealing nature of his ‘outfit’, I seriously doubt he has the goods to back up his mouth. My amusement quickly turns to annoyance as I see Erik slide his arm down Jou’s back to give him a very unwelcome pinch on the ass. I feel a low growl escape from my lips and my mouth curves downward into a callous frown when I hear Jou’s startled yelp. I decide to have a bit of fun with the touchy-feely bouncer.

“For Christ’s sake, Erik, leave him alone. He’s with me tonight,” I snap brusquely, a small smirk spreading across my face when I see the bouncer’s eyes widen in surprise. He meets my gaze, and I stare at him coldly, impassively. When I see Jou turn to me and notice the relieved expression on his face, my heart flutters slightly in my chest.

Erik whimpers slightly at the news and he stammers out, “I’m sorry, Quinn. I had no idea! I just –“

“Save it,” I snap, raising my hand to silence him, cutting him off before he can continue with his ridiculous apology. I cross the small expanse of floor, joining the two at the club entrance. I position myself between the two of them and as I glare threateningly at Eric, I sneer, “See that it doesn’t happen again.” I feel a sense of satisfaction when I see the large man bow his head in submission, and I snort in amusement. Most people are scared shitless by this giant of a man. As I watch his pathetic behaviour, I fail to see why. He’s just another baka who’s been put in his place by his superior – me. I turn to Jou, and instantly my gaze warms as a genuine smile crosses my lips. I’m beyond delighted to see him. I grab his hand, trying to ignore the spark of electricity I feel shoot through my body, and drag him into the club. I bypass the dance floor, trying to ignore the longing look in his eye, and steer him towards the ‘conversation area’. Trust me Puppy, I’m going to make you forget all about dancing, tonight. I head towards an empty loveseat, and gently push him down into one of the soft, velvet cushions as I drop myself into the other, sitting a little closer to the centre so I can be nearer to Jou. 

Casually, I rest my arm on the back of the loveseat as I turn to him, a small smile on my lips. Greedily, my eyes rove over his body, drinking in every delicious detail as if to burn them into my memory for later. I had thought he had looked sexy last week, but tonight, he was positively irresistible. He had chosen tight fitting black leather pants and a fitted black leather jacket, and the luxurious material lightly grazes across the planes of his body, clinging just so in all the right places. Underneath his jacket, he is wearing a white muscle shirt; when he leans forward, his coat gapes just enough so that I am treated to a small peek of one sculpted shoulder. And of course, he is wearing his leather collar. That in itself is enough to make me want to throw him down and take him right there on the loveseat. Oh God, he is a vision in eroticism, and it takes everything I have in me to hold back the wanton groan in my throat. As it is, I’m sure I have the most lecherous look on my face, because I notice that Jou is fidgeting and deliberately avoiding my gaze. 

Finally, I think Jou has had enough of my lewd ogling, because he asks simply, “What?”

“I’m glad you came tonight. I’ve been looking forward to seeing you all week, you know,” I say softly. 

Jou raises a tentative eyebrow. “Yeah?” he asks. For someone who’s so confident when it comes to Duel Monsters or arguing with me, he certainly is awkward and unsure of himself when it comes to someone expressing an interest in him. It’s quite cute, actually. And I particularly love to make him blush – it makes him look so much more fuckable. It’s a wonder I’ve been able to restrain myself for as long as I have; but then again, I always have been a master of self-control.

“Oh yes,” I say softly as I lean forward, my lips within inches of his. I smile to myself as I see him grow even more flustered, and I decide to test the waters. “You have to have figured out by now that I want you. Even more so when you come dressed as you are tonight.” The words may have been spoken by Quinn, but the sentiment is genuine from me. I feel a slight stirring in my groin and I shift my position slightly to relieve some of the pressure. It doesn’t help much, but anything is better than nothing at this point.

Jou’s eyes widen in surprise and he swallows hard. I see his eyes quickly scan me, and when I hear a soft, needy moan escape his lips, I can tell he echoes my sentiment. His eyes are darkened with lust, but he frowns as if he’s torn by some internal struggle. Finally he stammers, “Quinn, I…I can’t…”

Damn it. My cock is throbbing with need, and if I don’t touch him soon, I’m going to lose my mind. I quirk an eyebrow at him and say, “You can’t tell me that you don’t want me, otherwise you wouldn’t have agreed to meet me tonight.” I can’t stand it any longer and I quickly move to straddle his lap as I wrap my arms around his neck, entwining my fingers in that soft, flaxen hair I’ve come to love. “Besides, you don’t hide your feelings very well,” I add with a smirk as I grind myself against his groin, feeling his prominent erection. I can’t wait to hear your explanation for that one, Puppy. I feel my cock twitch again, and think that I probably should have thought through that particular manoeuvre a little better…Granted, I proved my point to Jou, but I’ve gotten myself even more worked up in the process.

Jou looses a soft groan, and I can see from his eyes that he’s just as uncomfortable as I am. “It’s not that,” he pants breathlessly. “It’s just that there’s this…I mean, I’m in love with… uh, you see –“

I finally understand what he’s trying to say. I swallow around the lump of bitterness and disappointment in my throat as I realize he has a crush on someone else. I still think it’s probably Honda, but he does spend a lot of time with Yugi… I force those thoughts from my mind and with an impatient wave of my hand, I interrupt him with a clipped, “Yes, yes, I forgot about your mystery man who can’t be bothered to appear.” Once again, I run my fingers through his hair and stare deeply into his liquid amber eyes. They are so soulful, so full of life, I could lose myself in their depths for hours. Instantly, my jealousy wanes and I say seriously, “So I won’t get to fuck you tonight, I can live with that.” I can tell Jou’s somewhat taken aback by my frankness as his eyes widen in genuine surprise. Clarifying my intentions, I add, “We’ll just play for a little while.” I figure that, if he’s saving himself for some hidden love interest, it is not my place to take that from him. While I would jump at the chance to have him, he must want me willingly – that is not something I can demand or expect of him. Besides, as I remind myself on a near-daily basis, I’d sooner have a small taste than nothing at all.

I’m not sure what, exactly, Jou thinks of my proposition, because he is sitting there, staring mutely at me, his mouth hanging open in shock. I half expect him to tell me off and leave; after what I just said, that would not be undeserved. I’m completely stunned, and admittedly pleased, when I see the tiniest nod of permission. Smiling lecherously, I lean forward, my lips hovering just above Jou’s for a moment, my hesitation affording him the opportunity to back out should he have a change of heart. When he makes no move to dissuade me, I close the distance between us and capture his mouth hungrily.

I flick out my tongue to run it over Jou’s lips and, when he opens his mouth in invitation, I caress his tongue with my own, relishing in the soft moan that I wrest from his throat. I feel Jou’s hands slide into my jacket and under my shirt, and as he pulls me closer to him, I’m filled with an excited, almost giddy feeling. His hands glide over my skin and I deepen our kiss, savouring his taste and the heat of his body.

Eventually, I am overtaken by the need for oxygen, and I reluctantly pull away from that sweet mouth. This time, I nuzzle against Jou’s neck and begin to softly suckle the tender skin, playfully nipping along his collarbone. This must be one of Jou’s sensitive areas for, within moments, I have him swooning in pleasure at my ministrations. He drops his head back to rest on the loveseat, affording me even easier access to the area. This time I find purchase on his pulse point, just below his Adam’s apple, and he looses a lusty growl and rakes his fingernails across my back.

I hiss pleasurably as I feel the stinging warmth on my skin, and I’m so close to coming in my pants it isn’t funny. I stare lustfully into his eyes, and see my own want mirrored in his. Sensually, I whisper, “Mmm, desperate and needy. I like that…” I think about all the things I’d be doing to him right now if he were back in my bed, and I bite back another lascivious moan. I give him a playful smile as I shake the blond bangs from my eyes and say, “I could get used to someone like you.” Suddenly, I spy Xavier about ten feet away, prowling around behind Jou. I narrow my eyes angrily when I see him turn towards us and, as his face lights up with a decidedly evil smirk, my expression turns deadly. I would have thought that after our confrontation yesterday, he would think twice about approaching Jou tonight, but when I see him start to stalk towards us, I’m confident that this is, quite possibly, the stupidest person on the face of the earth. I growl dangerously as he nears us, and I tighten my grip on the blond underneath me.

“Well, well, well. If it isn’t my golden angel, and here with his ‘treat of the week’,” Xavier says with a cold smirk, stopping about two feet behind us and taking a drag off his omnipresent cigarette. As soon as Jou hears his voice, I feel his body tense beneath me, and he quickly turns his head to the side, eyes wide in panic. Xavier’s dull, grey eyes quickly flick from Jou up to me and, even though they’re purpled and swollen, I can see he’s jealous that Jou has chosen me over him; not that he’d ever be competition, mind you. I glare at him, as if silently daring him to start something. I swear that if he does, this time he’ll wind up with more than a couple of black eyes.

“What the hell are you doing here?” Jou exclaims, obviously upset that this bastard has once again chosen to grace us with his annoying presence.

He takes a step closer to Jou and with a sickening grin he states, “I’ve told you before, I can be relentless when it comes to something I want. And, what I want is you.”

By now, I’ve heard more than enough from him and, in one fluid motion, I slide off of Jou’s lap and pull him to his feet in front of me, wrapping my arms protectively around his waist. As I continue to stare at Xavier from over Jou’s shoulder I hiss coldly, “Stay the hell away from what belongs to me.”

“Oh, you think he’s yours, do you?” Xavier says with a cruel laugh. “Are you aware that there’s another who claims the same thing?” I fight the urge to roll my eyes at his comment. Of course I know there is; _I’m_ the one who said it. He takes a long drag off of his cigarette and, as he exhales through his nose, I wince in disgust. “It looks to me like your little blond plaything hasn’t been completely honest with you. Me personally, I don’t really give a shit – I just want a one-time taste, then you can have him.” He takes another step towards us, and closes the distance to about a foot. Regardless of the loveseat between us, I’m half-tempted to jump the asshole right here and now.

Arrogant son-of-a-bitch; Jou is not some fuck toy that you use once and then toss to the curb. “You don’t know what the hell you’re talking about,” I reply contemptuously. Yesterday I claimed he was mine, and today, I will prove it.

“I’m going to kick your ass myself!” Jou shouts as he tries to lunge at Xavier from over the loveseat. Instinctively, I grab his wrist and pull him back. The memories of yesterday are still too fresh in my mind, and I refuse to let Jou get himself into such a situation again. “Quinn, I can fight my own battles. I’m not a fucking baby who needs protection!” he shouts at me, obviously irritated by my interference.

As much as I’d love to see Jou get his vengeance on that asshole, I can’t allow him to put himself at risk. The guilt I’d feel if something were to happen to him is more than I can bear. “Stay out of this, Jounouchi. He and I have some unfinished business,” I reply, perhaps a little _too_ sharply. “I like you, so don’t make me tell you twice.” I gently push him off to the side and out of my way, all the while maintaining my stare down with Xavier. 

“To hell with this,” Jou says in exasperation and walks away from me. I want desperately to pull him back to me, but not until I’m certain that he won’t be having any further _problems_. 

Xavier is the first to break our stare-down, turning his gaze to follow Jou. He makes a move as if to go after him, but before he can go two paces, I’ve jumped over the loveseat and blocked his path. “Where the hell do you think you’re going?” I hiss. “This ends here and now.”

“Get outta my way, Blondie,” Xavier growls, trying to use his size to intimidate me. Moron.

I grin maliciously and draw myself up to my full height as I stand defiantly before him. “Make me,” I sneer.

“Your funeral,” he replies, his mouth turning down in a cruel snarl. Having had a chance to spar with Xavier yesterday, I’m familiar with his moves and am ready for him tonight. He tries to grab my arm to wrench it around my back like he did to me yesterday, but this time, I recognize what he is doing and, before he realizes it, I’ve managed to trip him and twist his arm behind his back. 

He tries to squirm out of my grasp, but I kneel across his forearm with all my weight, chuckling sadistically when he gives a small whimper of pain. I lean forward and hiss in his ear, “Listen to me well, you worthless piece of shit. If I ever catch you so much as _looking_ at Jounouchi the wrong way, I swear to God, your pathetic, little existence on this planet will be no more. And if you think I’m anything but serious, just try me. I fucking _dare_ you.” I narrow my eyes and grind my knee into his shoulder blades, enjoying watching him writhe in pain. “You stay out of my affairs, and I’ll permit vermin like you to continue to live. Cross me, and I’ll make you suffer slowly and painfully. Do we understand each other?” He doesn’t answer me, and I can sense his defiance. I redouble my efforts, pressing my knee even harder into his back and grabbing his throat with my hand. “I asked you a question. I want to know that you understand me.” I squeeze slightly and growl, “Answer me!” 

“Yes, yes!” he squeaks out. “He’s your toy, I understand! Now let go of my fucking arm before you break it, you psychotic bastard!”

Reluctantly, I let him up. With a contemptuous sneer, I watch him stagger to his feet, my lip curling in disgust as I see the tears of pain in his eyes. Pathetic. I can see the defeated look in his eyes, and while I wait for him to scurry away like the rodent he is, I look around to see if I can see Jounouchi. I frown slightly. He _should_ be nearby. Immediately I panic; he’s left. I need to find him – now. I move to leave when suddenly I feel an iron-like grip around my wrist. The next thing I know, I have a searing pain shooting through my forearm. I see the venomous smirk on Xavier’s face and realize that he’s burning me with his cigarette.

I am beyond furious. With a hiss of pain, I yank my arm away from him while at the same time, I catch him with the heel of my palm across the bridge of his nose, and he shrieks in agony. I imagine having your nose broken once is excruciatingly painful, let alone twice. “Baka!” I snarl. “You have no idea what you’ve just done!” I see that blood has once again started to trickle from his nose, but this time, I’m careful to avoid the deluge. I grab him by the back of the collar and drag him to where Erik stands. The bouncer looks from me to Xavier, a stunned expression on his face as he sees the blood. I narrow my eyes malevolently and growl   
coldly, “I will give you a bonus of double your annual salary if you make certain this worthless insignificance does not walk out of here tonight on his own power; hell, I don’t care if he’s even breathing.” I thrust Xavier towards him, feeling a morbid thrill of excitement rush through my body when I see Erik’s callous smirk.

“Whatever you want, Quinn,” he replies dangerously, cracking his knuckles as he grabs onto Xavier’s jacket. 

“Excellent. I will make sure a package expressing my _personal_ gratitude is delivered to you by tomorrow night.” The look of sheer terror on Xavier’s face makes me almost want to laugh out loud and, as I turn to leave, I call over my shoulder to my rival, “I warned you not to cross me.” I push open the exit door as a muffled scream reaches my ears. It sounds almost like music.

Once outside, I hurry through the impending rain and quickly climb behind the wheel of the Miata. As I bring the engine to life, I try to imagine where Jou could have gone. He’s only had about a ten minute head start, fifteen tops, and he’s most likely on foot. Immediately I think of Tristan, and if Jou’s as upset as I imagine he is, he’s vulnerable and apt to do something foolish with that brunet imbecile. As I pull away from the curb, the sky opens up and it begins raining quite heavily. Damn. It’s going to be hard enough to see Jou at night, let alone through the rain. I speed down the main street, focusing more on the sidewalks than the road before me. As I drive down the third block, I _think_ I see a blond figure huddled under a store awning, and I immediately slam on my brakes, grateful that the rear end doesn’t hydroplane on the slick pavement. I throw the car in reverse and hit the accelerator, turning the wheel hard to the left and snapping the front of the Miata around 180 degrees. Hurriedly, I pull up along the curb and throw open my door on the deserted street. Squinting through the dark and the rain, I see that it is my beloved Jou. A wave of relief washes over me as I rush to his side, my profound worry slowly ebbing. “Jou! Oh thank God!” I cry, moving to wrap my arms around my puppy. I feel him stiffen at my touch and coldly back away from me. “What’s wrong?” I ask him, a concerned frown on my lips.

“I don’t need someone to fight my battles for me. I can take care of myself. Besides, the way you dismissed me, as if you were so much better than me, it almost reminded me of…” He trails off and, even in the darkness, I can see a trace of pink colour his cheeks. After a moment of silent introspection, he gives his head a small shake and says, “Look, never mind. It’s not important. I have enough people screwing with me these days, and I really don’t need to add another one to the list. Sorry.” My heart wrenches as I hear these words. I’m certain that I’m somewhere on that list, and it tears me apart to know I’m hurting Jou on a constant basis. He turns to walk away from me and continue on his journey, and reflexively, I reach out and grab his wrist. He already hates the ‘me’ he knows; I don’t want him to hate the real ‘me’, too. He looks curiously at me, and I try vainly to think of something reassuring to say to him, but my mind comes up blank. All I can think of is, “Don’t go.”

“Why should I stay?”

There are a myriad of things I want to tell him. I want him to know that I love him, want to be with him, get to know him, want to protect him and make him safe, and I never want to see him hurting again. Again, my brain and my voice betray me and leave me standing there like a vacuous idiot. Instinct finally takes over and I pull him close to me, cupping his cheeks softly in my hands and stroking his face with my thumbs. I lean down and kiss him tenderly on the lips, trying to convey all the love and passion I feel for him in that one gesture. “Does that answer your question?”

Jou raises a curious eyebrow at me and replies, “I’m something for you to play with?”

His words cut deeply, until I realize that _I_ was the one that planted the idea in his head in the first place. I smile softly and say, “Well, there is more to it than that.” I need to tell him everything; maybe then he’ll understand. Looking deeply into his eyes, I take his hands in mine. “I – God, you’re freezing! Will you let me take you for coffee?”

Jou pauses in thought for a moment, nervously chewing on his bottom lip in deep contemplation. I resist the urge to grab him and kiss him as I wait patiently for his answer. Finally, he looks up at me and asks earnestly, “Can I have dessert, too?”

I give a genuine laugh at his question. Proof once again that the puppy has an insatiable sweet tooth. “Whatever you want. Come on,” I say as I take his hand and lead him towards my car. I unlock the door and hold it open for him, then slide behind the wheel and take off. My first thought is to take him to the café we’d gone to on Sunday, but then I remember how we’re both dressed, and decide that would not be prudent. Instead, I settle on a quiet place I know, well revered for its fine selection of sweets. I steal a quick glance at my passenger and smirk. Somehow, I know he’s going to love it.

Like usual, I am right. I sit and quietly sip my tea as I watch Jou tear into a third slice of cake, this one double chocolate mocha fudge, washing it down with a second glass of chocolate milk. How he manages to stay so slender, I’ll never know, but he must have one hell of a metabolism. Mmm…that means he’d have staying power. I give my head a small shake as I watch Jou teasingly lick his fork and set it down on the plate. “Would you like another?” I ask.

He gives me this lopsided grin as he pats himself on the stomach and says, “Love to, but I think I’m at my limit for now.” Hmm…I suppose the bottomless pit isn’t _quite_ bottomless after all. He wriggles into the corner, pressing his back against the booth and looks at me. “Can I ask you something?”

“I think you just did,” I reply with a playful smirk.

For a moment, Jou looks stupefied by my answer, then tosses his napkin at me as he says, “You know what I mean, smartass.” I can’t help but laugh, and I nod at him to proceed. I see him mulling his thoughts over in his head, and then he takes a deep breath and asks, “What happened tonight? I mean, between you and Xavier.”

I quirk an eyebrow in amused curiosity and, with a small smirk upon my lips, I ask, “Why? Are you worried about him?” I see a look of disgust mixed with horror flash across his face for a brief moment and, even without him saying anything, I know he feels nothing for him. “Let’s just say he won’t be bothering you ever again.” I can’t help but feel smug in the knowledge that the son of a bitch got what was coming to him. Hopefully, when he’s ‘recovered’ fully, he’ll think twice about crossing me. Idiot.

Jou looks slightly alarmed at this, and asks in a panic, “Oh shit! You didn’t kill him, did you?” For a moment, he seems to be deep in thought, but then he returns his gaze to me, peering seriously into my eyes.

I can’t help but laugh. Despite everything that’s happened to him, the puppy still has compassion. I see his brow crease ever so slightly with a frown, and before he assumes it’s at his expense I reply, “No, nothing that serious. We just came to an ‘understanding’ about his role in this world.” My arm suddenly cries out in pain, and I push up my sleeve, irritably eyeing the large burn and grimacing at the watery blisters that are starting to form. I snort in disgust as I let the fabric slide back down, fighting back a wince as it grazes the injury. “Smokers,” I sneer. “The bastard got me good with that cigarette of his.” A small smirk creeps across my lips as I add, “Still, I don’t think he’ll be doing much of anything for a while. In a way, I kind of feel bad for him – nothing I would have done can compare with what happened to him after Erik got his hands on him.” Too bad he was too stubborn to listen to me; it’s really his own fault. I shrug nonchalantly as I look over at Jou. “It’s nothing more than that pathetic piece of trash deserved anyway.”

Jou nods in acknowledgement, but I have no idea if he’s heard what I said, or if his reaction is simply a reflex. I watch him curiously as he once more worries his bottom lip with his teeth, his face set in deep contemplation. Finally, he lifts his eyes to meet mine; he looks as though he wants to ask me something, but he seems hesitant, almost as if he thinks his fate might rest on the outcome of that unasked question.

“Is there something else you wanted to ask?” I say, hoping to breech his nervousness.

A flicker of uncertainty quickly clouds Jou’s amber eyes, and then he takes a deep breath and blurts out, “If I’m just something for you to play with, why do you care so much what happens to me?”

Hell. It’s time to ‘fess up, as the saying goes. Slowly, I move from my side of the table to slide in next to Jou, my gaze never wavering as I lock eyes with him. I search his face for any sign of discomfort or hesitation, and finding none, I pull him close to me and place a sweet, gentle kiss on his lips. I don’t know which one of us pressed forward, but the next thing I know, my tongue is fighting for dominance, my heart racing as I taste the blond on my lips once again. Jou’s hands slide into my blazer, and he wraps his arms around me, his roaming fingers tickling and tantalizing my flesh through my shirt. I manage to slide his jacket off his shoulders and I moan softly as I am finally able to touch the exquisitely chiselled skin that had been teasing me all night. I regain some sense of control over the situation and gently pull away, trying to ignore the small pout creeping across Jou’s lips.

I take a deep breath to compose myself. I’ve sent grown men crying and ruthlessly plundered bigger corporations than my own without a second thought, but I find myself unnaturally panic-stricken with the idea of revealing my feelings to Jou. I lovingly stroke one cheek with my hand and say softly, “It sounds crazy, but I want to be with you. I don’t know whether you’ll believe me or not, but I think I love you. You’re the only person I know who makes me feel this way, makes me want to share myself with another.” I move to cradle Jou’s hands in mine as I continue, “I know that our relationship was supposed to be solely for a good time and I didn’t plan for things to happen like this, but they did.” I can’t believe I’m saying this – it should be me, Seto, speaking these words; not Quinn! I realize that I have to set things right before this goes any further. I contemplate telling him now, but I don’t want to spoil the evening – if things go sour, I want to be able to have at least one memory of my time with the puppy. I bring his hands up to my lips, kissing each in turn before I let them fall back into his lap. “There’s more about me that you should know, but I think it’s best if I give you some time to think. I’ll take you home, and if you want to continue this, then meet me here tomorrow night at 7:00. If you don’t show, it wasn’t meant to be.” I’m suddenly overcome with a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach.

Jou stares at me for a moment. “Quinn, I-“

“Shh,” I interrupt, pressing a finger to his lips. “I don’t want to hear it now. You need time to think, and so do I.”

I slide out from the booth, wondering if this is the last time we will speak on such pleasant terms. Grabbing his hand, I lead him out to my car, my mind racing as I try to figure out how best to reveal myself to the blond. I bring the engine to life and pull out onto the nearly-deserted street. Although I know exactly where Jou lives, and I could probably drive there in my sleep, I feign ignorance and ask him how to get him home. The short drive is virtually silent, save for Jou’s mumbled directions. Half the time, I don’t understand what he says and, as I give him a quick glance, I see that he, too, is deep in thought. The next day is going to be pure hell, I can feel it.

I pull up outside Jou’s apartment and we share one last, yearning kiss before my puppy climbs out of the car. As I pull away, I can see him waving to me in my rear-view mirror. I manage a small smile. While I’m not one hundred percent certain of tomorrow’s outcome, if I were a betting man, I’d put my money on him appearing.


	6. Chapter Six

It turns out that I had been right, not that _that’s_ any big surprise. Jou _did_ meet me the next night, but it almost wasn’t to be. It seems that Jou is a lot smarter than I ever gave him credit for. I’m sure that, if I’d have taken the time to notice, it would have been blatantly obvious. And, though he’d surprised the hell out of me at the time, I have to admit that his cleverness still impresses me. 

Later that night, I’d returned home to change out of my disguise and unwind for a while before turning in for the night; the anticipation of the next evening was practically killing me. I’d been surprised to find Jou on my porch shortly after one in the morning, and he had been absolutely livid. He outed me; told me he knew about Quinn, accused me of playing mind games with him, and told me that I was even more of an asshole than he had generally thought. Even now, I can’t say I really blame him for his reaction. I’m sure that, if the situation had been reversed, I would have been a hell of a lot crueller. I must say, for someone with as quick of a temper as Jounouchi, he can remain reasonably rational when confronted. Of course, I had laughed at his suggestion that I was Quinn. Admittedly, that was probably a very stupid move. I’m sure that if I’d told him the truth right then and there, he _might_ have been less upset with me. My denial had only further angered him; it was a rather flagrant insult to his intelligence.

It was at that point that I realized just how little I had thought my plan through. Jou had come to me, in his pyjamas, his anger and hurt obvious by the pained tears that had streamed down his cheeks unabated. I had asked him in to talk; I needed to clear the air between us, and I secretly had hoped that we would be able to make a fresh start. I knew that I was expecting a lot from Jou – but I was grateful that he had at least accepted my offer for an explanation. After what, I’m sure, had sounded like a pretentious, awkward, and, in his mind, utterly convenient excuse, he had stormed out of my house and, it seemed at the time, out of my life. As he had walked away from me, I _finally_ admitted my feelings for him, which he had angrily quashed with a single, vengeful comment: “Yeah, well, I don’t love you.”

I had tried to wall my emotions off once again as his words hit me. However, by then, it was too late. Jou had broken through my icy façade; he’d cracked the seemingly impenetrable barrier around my heart, and I was powerless. Never before have I cried but, that night, as I watched his retreating form disappear down the laneway and into the darkness, I felt a tear slip silently from my eye. By the time I had closed the front door, it had been joined by several others and, when I reached my bedroom and had lain upon my bed, I hugged my pillow comfortingly to my chest where, overwhelmed by the weight of my broken heart, I had silently cried myself to sleep.

The next day, I had pretty much stayed sequestered in my room. I didn’t come out to eat, I didn’t come out to work and, when Mokuba had come to my door to check on me, I didn’t even come out for him. For about an hour, he had stood outside my door: cajoling me, reasoning with me, and trying to negotiate _some_ way for me to come out and speak with him. In hindsight, I have to give the kid credit – he’s definitely persistent. Finally, he had ceded to my stronger will and had dejectedly left me to my brooding. The whole time I was in my room, I had fretted about the previous evening and what I would say to Jou, assuming, of course, that he showed up. 

Shortly before seven, I had finally emerged from my room, much to Mokuba’s delight. Before he could say anything, I had said curtly, “I have a meeting to go to. You _will_ be in bed by the time I return home.” 

“Seto, wait!”

“I mean it, Mokuba. I’m not in the mood tonight.” I walked out the door, ignoring the shocked expression on his face, and drove quickly to the café. As I had drawn nearer, I had felt my anxiety rising. Nevertheless, I had entered the small shop and looked around in anticipation. My heart had sunk when I saw no sign of Jou, and I’d seated myself facing the doorway. I don’t know what I’d been expecting, but I’d ordered chocolate milk and dessert for Jou as though he had simply been briefly detained and would be making his appearance at any moment.

Almost half an hour later, I was beyond dejected. Resigning myself to a life of loneliness and misery, I’d gotten up to leave when a mysterious stranger had accosted me. He’d said he had a business proposition, which I’d immediately refused. It turns out that Jounouchi is just as clever at deception as me…and he’d shown up early to test me; to see if I was serious about what I’d told him. What happened after that made my heart soar. He showed me his latest ‘adornment’ to his collar, professing me as his one and only master, and then showed me that he did, indeed, love me.

Later that night, we’d returned to my estate, our feelings for each other finally out in the open; all of the pent-up passion and hunger we’d felt was aching to be released. In a show of equality, Jou took me passionately, and then submitted himself to me when he had finished; it had been raw, needy and carnal. And it had left me breathless and wanting more. 

That had been a week ago.

Here it is, Saturday night again, and I’m getting ready to go out for the evening with my puppy. He’s chosen black leather pants and a sapphire blue silk shirt for me to wear. I smile when I see what he’s laid out for me – the shirt is nearly the same colour as my eyes and, when I slip it on and look at myself in the mirror, I see that it makes them look a shade or two darker, even. I quickly button the garment and loosely tuck it into my pants, then slip on a thick, black belt. I sit on the edge of my desk chair and slip on my boots but, before I can stand up, I feel a pair of arms wrap around my neck from behind, and instantly, my senses are assaulted by the crisp, citrusy scent of Jou’s cologne. I look over my shoulder and see Jou’s smiling face. His hair is even more tousled than usual owing to the fact that he’s just vigorously towelled it off, and I see he is clad in little more than a large bath towel.

I swivel around in my chair to face him, then pull him onto my lap and kiss him softly on the lips. “You’re not dressed yet,” I admonish playfully.

“Yeah, well, it won’t be the end of the world if we’re a bit late,” he replies with a rakish smirk, shifting his position to straddle my hips as he leans down for a passionate kiss. As soon as I feel his warm tongue in my mouth, I’m instantly hard, and I press him firmly against me as I hungrily return the kiss. I feel his hands come up to fist in my hair, and I groan softly at his gentle touch. When he pulls away, he cocks his head to the side as if studying me.

“What?” I ask with a smirk, finding the contemplative expression very becoming on him.

“Would you do a favour for me tonight, Seto?” he asks. When I quirk an eyebrow, he elaborates. “I mean, you look damned good as it is, but would you…” He trails off and gives me this shy, demure smile. “Would you consider leaving your hair a little messy like it is now, and maybe wear some of that eyeliner you wore last week? It really brings out your eyes…”

My smirk widens. I’d never admit this to anyone, but Jou’s innocent demand sends a shiver of anticipation down my spine. I can see that the very idea has Jou turned on, and knowing that I’ll be making him squirm all night is admittedly more than a little exhilarating. I gently push him off my lap and stand up, headed for the bathroom. Over my shoulder I call, “Whatever you want, Jou…but only if you wear that delicious vinyl outfit of yours.” I grab some hair gel and rub a bit into my hands, then work it into my hair. By the time I’m done, it’s not quite as dishevelled as Jounouchi’s, but it definitely has that ‘freshly fucked’ look that he loves.   
I put on a light layer of eyeliner, and I have to admit; the kohl does make my blue eyes ‘pop’; even more than it had the green. Smart Puppy. I return to the bedroom and my breath catches in my throat. Jou’s now dressed and, just like I had done on that first night, I stare wantonly at his slender, taut frame, all wrapped up in a tantalizing package of form fitting, black vinyl.

Apparently, I’m having the same effect on him – he’s standing frozen, gazing at me through lust-filled, half lidded eyes. With a sultry smirk, I walk to my closet and pull out a black, three-quarter length leather trench coat and slip it on. Turning back to him, I offer my hand and he takes it without hesitation. Wordlessly, we head out to the garage and he squeezes my hand twice – our ‘silent signal’ for ‘I love you’. I gaze down at him and squeeze back – twice – and he smiles happily. I bypass the Miata and hit the keyless remote for the silver BMW Z4. I open the passenger door for him and, once he’s secure, I shut the door and come around to my side to slide behind the wheel. Leaning over, I give him a quick peck on the lips before I bring the engine to life and back out of the drive.

* * *

When we arrive at Nevermore, I can instantly feel a change in the atmosphere. As Quinn, I had had the luxury of anonymity and obscurity; I had been free to explore and enjoy things that interested me without worrying about being in the spotlight and under scrutiny for everything. Tonight is a completely different story. Once Jou and I reach the alcove, I hear someone gasp, “Holy shit! It’s Kaiba!” 

The effect is nearly instantaneous. The news of my arrival ripples through the crowd like a wave, and I can feel dozens of eyes on me, staring in disbelief. I see Erik gibbering frantically on his wireless headset, and I can only assume he’s announcing my presence. A few moments later, I see one of the club owners, Taiki Matsuo, come racing over, panting and breathless. I quirk a curious eyebrow at him, torn between feeling smug at the quality of attention and feeling disgusted by the pandering toadying. 

“Ah, Seto Kaiba!” he gushes as he comes forward to shake my hand, placing his arm around my waist in an overly-friendly gesture. I glare at him – I hate being touched without invitation…especially by simpering grovelers. He catches my stare and immediately backs out of my personal space, his eyes refusing to meet mine. “It’s so nice to see you here again! After our grand opening, I was most disappointed when you didn’t return. I thought that maybe we had somehow offended you.” He eyes me up and down, giving me this smarmy, oily leer that makes my skin crawl. “Come, come! As my personal guest, your drinks for the evening are on me, and anything you need, just feel free to ask. And…” He trails off and leans in close, his voice dropping to a near whisper. “Feel free to avail yourself of the VIP room…there are many lovely ladies and gents in there who would be most _accommodating_ to a man of your position.”

I glower at him, my eyes narrowed dangerously. “I already _have_ someone with me,” I hiss. “So if it’s all the same to you, I think I’ll pass, Matsuo-San…”

Matsuo pales as he tries to sputter out an apology, and I fight back the urge to smirk. I love it when I see the rats squirm. I give him a curt nod, more to shut him up than in acceptance of his excuse. I reach out for Jou’s hand and pull him forward to stand next to me, giving two quick squeezes as I continue to stare at Matsuo. “I-is this your escort?” he asks meekly.

“He is not my escort,” I reply scathingly. “To me, that implies that you think he’s some sort of whore. I do not associate with whores. He is my partner.” I hear Jou’s breath catch in his throat, and I smirk cruelly as Matsuo withers under my gaze.

“Y-yes, of course,” he stammers. “He is quite fetching, isn’t he? Not that I would expect him to not be…I mean, of course, he is naturally extended the same courtesies as you…Please, enjoy yourself.” With a quick glance from me to Jou and back to me, he once again drops his gaze and scurries off. Before we go in, I see Erik looking Jou over, a small frown on his face as he looks back at me.

“I don’t think you want to go with this guy, Sir,” Erik begins. “I’m pretty sure he’s spoken for…”

“Relax, Erik,” I purr smugly. “Quinn and I have come to an understanding.” I see his eyes widen in surprise, but he merely nods, and gestures for us to go inside. 

Once my eyes have adjusted to the lighting, I ask Jou, “Would you like something to drink?” 

He shakes his head, trailing his fingers down my arm. “I’m not thirsty just yet,” he replies silkily, instinctively heading towards the purple loveseats.

“Where are you going?” I ask, a mischievous smirk on my lips.

“Well, you don’t dance, so I thought –“

“Who says I don’t dance?” I reply playfully.

He stops and stares at me for a moment in disbelief. “You dance?” he splutters. “Since when? I know _I’ve_ never seen you out there, or even heard you mention that you like it!”

My smirk widens and I wink teasingly. “Ever think that maybe, up until now, I just hadn’t found the right partner?” He stands frozen in his tracks, gaping at me, and I decide that I’m going to have a little fun with him. Before he can find his voice and respond, I move out on to the dance floor, and then turn to face him with a feral smile. For a moment, I listen to the music playing around me; finding the rhythm, I begin to dance with deliberate, sensual movements. I gyrate my hips slowly as my hands caress up and down my sides in a gesture of pure eroticism. Through half-lidded eyes, I look over at him, and see him staring at me with a mixture of shock and lust. A small crowd soon gathers around, and I know that he’s not the only one entranced by my performance. 

I decide to make my show a little more intimate and, extending my arm, I make a ‘come hither’ motion with my index finger, beckoning him to me. He blinks in surprise, then smiles the most beautiful smile I’ve ever seen as he slowly makes his way towards me like an animal stalking its prey. During the entire exchange, neither of us takes our gaze off of the other and, when he finally joins me, we spend what seems like an eternity staring into each other’s eyes. I can see the hunger shining in his eyes, and I know that the feeling is reflected back to him in my own gaze.

Slowly I circle him, drinking in every detail of his exquisite form, even though I already know him intimately. I give an involuntary shudder as I realize that, no matter what he does, he never fails to excite me. My cock gives a small twitch, and I do my best to ignore it – for now. When I get back in front of him, I offer him one hand, and he places his palm in mine. As soon as I feel his heated flesh make contact with me, I realize that I’ve underestimated the power he wields over my heart. I wrap my other arm around his waist and pull him tight to me, thrusting my one thigh between his legs as I grind my arousal against his hip.

Something must have snapped within him, too, and the next thing I know, I can feel him slip his hand into my coat as he reaches around to grope my ass, his fingers teasing me through my pants. The contact brings my burgeoning erection to full arousal and, as the tight, unforgiving material grazes against my now-straining cock, I let out a small moan of pleasure. Obviously encouraged by my reaction, Jou begins to match my movements, his lithe body pure carnality in motion. I feel something hard against my thigh, and I realize he’s just as turned on as me.

With a smile, Jou slides his hand from my ass to cup the bulge in my pants as he whispers sensually in my ear, “God, Seto…all I can think about right now is how good it would feel to have your cock buried deep in my ass.” He trails his tongue around the rim of my ear, sending a shockwave of pleasure rippling through me. He places a line of small kisses from my ear to my chin, and then leans up to capture my lips in a searing kiss. My head is swimming and I feel light-headed as his tongue works expertly in my mouth, fluttering effortlessly against my own and tearing a hungry growl from my throat. He pulls away, leaving me breathless as he wends his way back to my ear with his lips. “Fuck, Seto,” he breathes. “You are so fucking hot. I’m so hard right now; I think I might come in my pants.” With a small, lusty groan, he shifts his pelvis so that our erections are brushing against each other, and I feel like I’m about to lose my mind. “Come on, Seto. Fuck me. Fuck me hard so I won’t walk right for a week…” As if his delightful dirty talk wasn’t enough, he gives my cock another gentle squeeze with his hand, and I am done for. 

Rational thought and discretion have been replaced by my all-consuming lust and need. I no longer care where I am or who can see me. All I know is that I want Jou and, if I don’t have him now, I’m _definitely_ going to come in my pants. I kiss him hard, forcing my tongue half-way down his throat as I ravage his mouth, no longer able to think clearly or concentrate on what I’m doing. I pull away, my eyes darkened with unspoken desire, a small, throaty chuckle escaping my lips. I’m about to explode, and I know there’s no time to make it back to the car, let alone home, so I pull him towards the men’s room. Despite the painful ache in my groin, I manage to move surprisingly smooth and quick through the crowded room. I kick open the door, obviously startling the lone patron who was in there to actually use the facilities. “Get out,”   
I growl over the sound of the music being piped into the room, my voice a mixture of unbridled lust and aggravation.

“But I have to take a piss!” he protests, gesturing lamely to his dick.

“Now!” I snarl, my eyes narrowed menacingly and, without further disagreement, he hastily does up his pants and leaves without bothering to wash his hands. Once I see we’re alone, I eye Jou with a predatory gleam in my eye as I push him into the largest stall and lock the door behind us. Free of prying eyes, I grab him and whirl him around so his back is to the door. Pressing myself hard against him, I ravage his throat mercilessly with small nips and licks, purpling the delicate flesh in my fervour. When I pull away, I see that he, too, is panting and breathless. Purring in his ear, I rasp, “God Jou, I love it when you talk like that… and the things you’ve done to me tonight! If I don’t fuck you right now, I’m going to explode.”

An impish smile creeps across Jou’s face, and he says mischievously, “If you like the things that come out of my mouth, you’ll love what I put into it.” He slips his hands down between us and adeptly unbuttons my pants, then slides his finger inside to press down on the zipper, which easily slides down. As soon as my cock springs free, I let out a small moan of relief, only to hiss in pleasure when Jou drops to his knees and licks my shaft from root to tip. He swirls his tongue around the head of my cock, his tongue delving into my slit to lave the copious amounts of precome gathered there. My head lolls back slightly, and my hands instinctively fist into his flaxen locks. I don’t want to thrust but, when he puts his hands on my hips and begins slowly bobbing his head in a silent invitation, I can’t help myself. At first, I try to maintain some semblance of control over my traitorous body, but soon I’m ramming my cock down his throat, my face a mask of pure ecstasy. I feel the familiar fire welling up in my abdomen and, with an echoing cry of, “Oh God, Jou!” I come hard down his throat, my body quivering with release.

Slowly, my vision clears and, although I feel a bit more in control of myself, I am far from sated. I reach out a trembling hand to Jou and help him to his feet, kissing him softly on the lips and tasting myself on him. As I smile at him, I say, “That was wonderful, Puppy, but I’m not finished with you yet…oh no, not by a long shot.” I cup his erection, feeling a renewed stirring in my groin as I brush across the prominent bulge. Biting back a wanton moan, I quickly unfasten his pants and push them down to his knees, breathing a tremulous breath at the sight and scent of his arousal. Once again backing him roughly into the door, I languidly lick my palm and then move to plunder his mouth as I start to stroke his cock with full, firm strokes. He gives a keening whimper, and I pull away forcibly to once again ravage his throat, my other hand sliding up under his t-shirt to tweak his already pert nipples to hardened buds. He throws his head back, biting down on his lip to hold back his hungered moans. 

“Don’t hold back, Jou,” I whisper sensually. “I want to hear you scream when you come for me. I get so hard knowing you’re enjoying yourself…”

At my words, he groans softly, then I feel his cock twitch, and he spills his essence into my hand with a long, satisfied moan. I watch him while he’s in the throes of his orgasm and, seeing the light flush on his cheeks and his full, swollen lips, I find myself once again burning with a seemingly insatiable hunger for Jou. He turns his sexy, golden gaze to me, and murmurs softly, “Fuck me, Seto. I need you to fuck me.”

I kiss him harshly, and then slick my cock with his come, eagerly laving the remaining essence from my fingers. I bring my hands around his waist to cup his ass, picking him up and backing him into the corner of the stall. Bracing him against the wall, I guide my cock to his entrance and slowly push into him, closing my eyes and hissing in pleasure as I once again feel his tight heat surrounding me. I slide my arms back around him while he wraps his arms around my neck, and I gaze into his eyes, seeing only love and desire burning deep within the amber depths. I become vaguely aware of the techno song coming in over the speakers and, as I hear the heavy, thumping bass, I match the fast, pounding rhythm as Jou and I engage in our own carnal dance. 

Jou arches his head back and cries out, “Oh fuck!” as I hit his sweet spot, and with a lecherous smile, I pound repeatedly into him until he’s a writhing, moaning, quivering mass in my arms. I feel his ass muscles clenching and know he’s nearing his release. The additional friction on my cock is enough to send me over the edge, too, and with a feral roar, I empty myself deep into his passage just as he comes again.

Finally sated, I let my cock slip out of him and I stagger backwards to sink down with trembling legs onto the toilet, Jou curled up in my lap. I lick my lips lasciviously as I think about the raw, tawdry, sensuality of the whole situation. I kiss Jou softly on the forehead and say, “Damn, Jou. You’re an amazing, incredible, extremely _sexy _creature, do you know that?”__

__He smiles at me as he climbs off my lap, wincing slightly as he reaches down to pull up his pants. I see the smooth roundness of his ass once again encased in vinyl, and I know that I won’t be able to resist him for much longer. “You’re pretty incredible yourself,” he says with a grin. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you like that before. Who knew that the great Seto Kaiba could be so passionate, so consumed by emotion!” he teases, giving me a loving kiss on the top of my head. “I liked it,” he adds, a faint blush colouring his cheeks. “I just wish you’d show that side of you more often.”_ _

__I smile softly as I stand up and refasten my pants, and then pull him into a hug. With Jou, I find it easy to give myself over to my emotions. He doesn’t expect me to act a certain way, and he loves me for who I am. Being with him is so liberating. I think that being with Jou could persuade me to show more of this side of my personality – especially if he comes on to me like he did on the dance floor tonight! There are so many things I want to talk to him about, but the men’s room in a nightclub is hardly the place. I brush a soft kiss across his lips and say, “Jou, I want to talk with you, but…well, what do you say we get out of here?”_ _

__He studies me for a moment, and I see a brief wave of panic and uncertainty flash across his eyes, but then he smiles softly and nods. “Yeah…I’m starting to feel kind of weird sitting here in the bathroom like this.”_ _

__Taking his hand and interlacing our fingers, we make our way back through the club and out to the street. The air has gotten a little cooler, but it’s a welcome feeling on my sweat-drenched skin. I don’t feel like heading home just yet, so I drive along the coast, revelling in the scent of the sweet ocean air. Neither of us speaks, we just sit in comfortable silence as I drive. I still have Jou’s hand in mine, not releasing it even when I need to shift gears. Finally, I stop along a small bluff overlooking the ocean, and I shut off the car. I turn to look at Jou, and see that he’s staring down at his lap, a contemplative expression on his face.  
I let my hand slip from his grasp and reach out to tenderly stroke his cheek as I say, “Penny for your thoughts?”_ _

__He gives a small, surprised jump as he’s pulled from his musing, and he turns to me, his eyes soulful and burning with emotion. “I’ve just been thinking about something you said earlier tonight.”_ _

__Frantically, I try to replay the night in my mind, searching for anything that might have left Jou so preoccupied. Drawing a blank, I ask softly, “What did I say?” I bring my hand down to cradle his neck, my fingers caressing the back of his head, and I smile when he leans his cheek into my touch._ _

__“When you were talking to that Matsuo guy, you called me your ‘partner’. What did you mean by that?”_ _

__Again, Jou surprises me with the earnest simplicity of his question. My expression grows serious as I say, “Jou, this past week has been one of the happiest I can ever remember. I don’t recall the last time I’ve laughed so much or felt so uninhibited. I love you and love being with you, but ‘boyfriend’ sounds so childish, and it doesn’t even come close to describing how I feel about you. You are my partner – my equal. I only hope that one day –“ I stop myself, unsure of whether to proceed._ _

__“No, please finish,” Jou whispers softly, his eyes shining. “You hope that one day what?”_ _

__I take a tremulous breath. Who knew that baring your soul could be so difficult? Looking deep into his eyes, I murmur, “I only hope that one day you might want to make our partnership something more…permanent.” I see his eyes well up, and he makes this strange noise that sounds like a cross between a sob and a laugh as one rogue tear makes its way down his cheek. “What is it?” I ask gently as I carefully brush the drop away with my thumb._ _

__“Shit, Seto, I can’t believe you would want that. I guess I always figured that this was too good to be true and that one day, you were going to wake up and realize that you didn’t want me any more. I mean after all, I _am_ just a dumb, inner-city mutt.”_ _

__I frown slightly at hearing this. “Is that how you really see yourself?” I ask._ _

__He shrugs. “Sometimes, I guess. I mean, look at me. I’ve had to work my ass off just to _go_ to school, not to mention how hard I try just to make sure I pass from semester to semester. Then, when other people talk down to me, I feel…” His eyes widen slightly and he trails off. I feel a wave of shame wash over me as I realize _I’m_ one of the people he’s referring to, and I make a silent vow to never let him feel that way about himself again._ _

__“Jou… _Katsuya_ ,” I begin, “You know how I see you?” He shakes his head and I continue. “You are like a diamond in the rough. Sparkling, bright, _beautiful_ , but no one has made the time or effort to pick you up, brush you off and polish you to bring out that radiance. And as for your past, you can no more change that than I can change mine. But for what it’s worth, without the pressure, a diamond is nothing more than an uninspiring lump of coal. Your past makes you special, and I know that _I_ want a future with you…my diamond in the rough…my puppy.”_ _

__“Really?” he asks, his lower lip quivering slightly as he fights to keep control of his emotions._ _

__“Really, really,” I reply as I unfasten my seatbelt and slide across the centre console to straddle his hips, my arms slipping around his neck. “But only when you’re ready.”_ _

__I feel his arms come up to wrap around my waist, and with glistening amber eyes, he whispers, “I think I’m ready.”_ _

__I feel my own eyes tearing up as my heart swells with unspoken joy. I lean down and capture his lips in a soft, loving kiss, and then pull away to nuzzle into his neck as he nestles against my chest. While we sit there in each other’s arms, I find my mind drifting back to my bedroom – to the little, burgundy, velvet box that’s sitting patiently in my night table, waiting to be freed from its dark confines. I think about the clean, elegant lines of the wide, titanium band – strong and unbending, like the feelings I have for Jou. I picture the inlaid signet of garnet – representing love and devotion, flanked on each side by an accent of sapphire – loyalty and fidelity – and ruby – fire and passion. It sums up all that I am and all that I’m willing to give to Jou. Ever since I’d acknowledged my feelings for him, I’d been waiting and hoping for the perfect time to present him with this gift. Suddenly, something clicks in my soul, and I feel comfortable, happy and at peace; I know that now is the right time to give this to him. I kiss him once more on the lips, and then hop back over the centre console, buckling myself back into my seat._ _

__He gives me a curious look, letting out a cry of joy as I hit the gas and the night air whips playfully through his hair. “Where are we going, Seto?” he calls to me, his eyes bright, another beautiful smile gracing his sensual mouth._ _

__“To secure my future,” I reply with a cryptic wink. Laughing giddily, I speed towards the bright lights of the city, for the first time in my life feeling complete._ _


End file.
